MasterChef Junior (2013) s07e13 Episode Script
The Semi-Final
- Announcer: Last time - This is tough.
a difficult restaurant challenge ended in the biggest surprise of the season.
The winning team is both teams! - Both teams get to stay? - Congratulations.
Tonight This is the semifinal.
the final mystery box holds the key - What? - Really? to the ultimate prize.
Ivy: This is my chance to go straight to the finale.
Holy schnitzel! Announcer: And then, in a juicy elimination test Three are going home.
only the cooks with raw talent will secure their spot These odds are not in my favor.
in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
- ( cheering ) - Oh, mystery box! - Welcome back, everybody.
- Mystery box! Top six is still going strong.
I'm ready to start the semifinals.
The finale is so close.
It's in reach.
It makes me think about everyone that's helped me along the way all my family members, and that really motivates me to try my best and win the competition.
We are now down to the final six talented young home cooks in the MasterChef Junior competition.
And it's time for your last mystery box challenge.
On the count of three, lift those boxes.
One, two, three.
Reid: What? There's a note! What? Hey, that's my mom's handwriting.
Gordon: As you can see, there are no ingredients under your mystery box tonight.
But there is a little taste from home.
Now, please, all of you, very carefully open your incredible letters from your loved ones.
"Hey, hey, hey! We miss you, Miss Ivy.
You're the best kid I know other than you sister, LOL.
Remember, small is the new big.
We are cheering for you.
Love, Mom.
" "Dear Che, I'm so very proud of your compassionate and brave heart.
You're a wonderful chef.
I know that Daddy's with you in every dish you create and every step you take.
I love you, Mommy.
" "Malia, I know your determination will bring you great success in the MasterChef kitchen.
Now go out there and kick some booty.
Love, Dad.
" Reid: "Hey, buddy, I'm so proud of you.
I know you're going to do great because you always give your whole heart.
I love you, Dad.
" Now, at this critical stage of the competition, we thought a letter from home would strengthen your resolve and remind you of exactly why you're here.
Home cooks, tonight we want to see each of you make a dish inspired by the people who placed that letter under your mystery box.
And it also should reflect how far you've come on your culinary journey here in the MasterChef kitchen.
So, tonight, all of you will have full access to the finest ingredients in the world inside that MasterChef pantry.
You also get to cook on those incredible Viking ranges.
You'll have five minutes to shop in the pantry.
Your five minutes start now.
Aarón: Let's go.
- Get inspired, guys.
- Aarón: Think of home.
- Okay.
- Baskets, baskets! Chicken! Let's go.
Do I want blanc or do I want a chardonnay? There's some eggs in here, some chicken eggs.
I really want to make a dish in honor of my family.
And back in Georgia, my grandma, she cooked a lot of Ethiopian dishes.
And when she cooked them, it brought the family together.
So I'm gonna be making lamb loin with some injera on there, just like all Ethiopian dishes do.
- Sadie, you need these, right? - Thank you.
Are you ready? Oh, man.
He's gonna be so excited.
Bacon, bacon, bacon.
They're coming.
Here we go.
- Reid.
- You gotta be kidding me.
You have your dad Tim and your brother Cade.
Hey, buddy.
- Hey.
- Hi, bud.
Love you.
Hey! - Let's go, Ivy.
- Oh! You've got your mom Timna and your sister Anavi.
- There you go.
You go and run and see mommy.
- Okay.
- Go, go, go, go.
- Hello! - Hello.
- Hi.
- Hi, guy.
- Long time no see.
Oh, my gosh! Aaron, you've got your mom Erica and your big sister Akira.
- Oh, my gosh! - Hi! Oh, my gosh! Hey! Che, you've got your mom Elizabethanne - Hello! - and your little brother Cosimo.
Cosmo.
- ( gasps ) - Malia, come on.
You got your dad Chris - Daddy! - and your big brother Austin.
Hi, guys.
Hi.
Sadie.
You've got your mom Rebecca and your brother Elias.
Sadie! Hi, baby.
I'm really, really happy that my mom and my brother are here.
I've been away from home for so long, so I really needed this, and I'm ready to start cooking and impress my family.
Families, it's so great to have you here tonight.
But you know what, home cooks? You all have to get cooking.
So, please, families, would you do us the honor and head up to the balcony so you could watch your loved ones do what they do best? - Good-bye.
- I'm so proud of you.
- Remember? - Yeah, yeah, I got this.
Gordon: Now, listen carefully.
This is the semifinal.
Whoever wins this challenge tonight, will receive a place in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
Oh, my gosh! ( whispering ) You can do this.
Home cooks, you now have one hour to make us a dish inspired by your incredible loved ones that will propel you straight into the finale.
- You all ready? - All: Yes, Chef! Your 60 minutes start now.
- Top six, semifinal.
- Oven open! It does not get any more high stakes or more emotional than this.
- I'll make you proud, Daddy.
- Do it to it, buddy.
The expectations are higher than ever.
We wanna see technique, we wanna see celebration of ingredients.
You can do it, Malia.
We're proud of you.
Thank you! I love you! But it needs to deliver on every aspect flavor, finesse.
I just wanna see a shine, and good enough for a spot in the finale.
- Going.
- Young home cooks, less than 50 minutes.
My whole family loves fish.
My mom especially loves fresh vegetables.
So I am making olive oil poached halibut with a spring pea puree and a couscous salad.
- I'm just scared for my little sister.
- No, no, no.
She's gonna kill it.
Go, Aaron! Just over 33 minutes remaining.
Come on, guys.
Perfect.
Malia, it looks good.
- Malia, young lady.
- Yes, Chef.
What is the dish? - My whole family loves seafood, - Yeah.
so I'm making a salmon and lemon pesto wrapped in a filo dough with a beurre blanc sauce and Thumbelina carrots.
You know, when you're wrapping it it's almost like you're cooking blind.
We can't see it.
So, why so complicated on a night like tonight, madam? I just wanna get that finalist apron so badly that I'm going head over heels.
- Good luck, young lady.
- Thank you.
- It looks great, Cheech.
- Thank you.
- All right, Che, talk to me about your dish.
- Yes, Chef.
The dish I'm making tonight is a pan-seared red snapper with pan-fried baby squash, with a black bean puree, crispy polenta croutons, and herb sauce.
But my dish is inspired by a lot of things.
My mom grows squash in her garden.
Inspired by my dad because of my Italian heritage.
And the polenta croutons, my brothers, because I make black bean soup for them all the time when they get home from school.
It is truly a testament and a love letter to your family.
- Yes, Chef.
Thank you, Chef.
- All right, young man, good luck.
You're doing amazing, buddy.
Doing amazing.
- I love you, Daddy.
- I love you, too, buddy.
Reid, tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? I'm making fried chicken with some English peas, some mashed potatoes, and buttermilk gravy.
Do you know the most inspiring thing about you? Being the youngest in this competition.
You'd never think it based on the level of maturity.
- Do you think you've changed? - I think I've really changed a lot, Chef.
I've become a better cook than I was when I was in the backyard doing steaks.
Good luck, young man.
All right, everyone, less than 20 minutes.
If you want that spot in the finale, let's go.
Aww, nice.
- Hello.
- Ivy.
- What are you cooking? - I'm making veal schnitzel with a warm German potato salad, and a vegetable salad.
It's my sister's and my favorite German dish.
My dad is German, and I lived in Germany for seven years.
Wow.
It tells me you mean business.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
Wow.
They are definitely putting their heart and soul on every plate this evening.
And the best dish of the night gets a spot in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
90 seconds to go.
Come on, guys.
- Start plating.
- They all look so good.
It needs to be perfect.
Oh, my God.
Just plating Tim: Be careful with that chicken.
Oh, Lord.
30 seconds to go - Hurry! - to confirm your spot in the grand finale.
Yep.
I really want that finalist apron.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
- And stop.
Hands in the air.
- Aarón: That's it! Christina: Hands in the air.
Gordon: Well done, everybody.
Tonight, we asked all of you to take inspiration from your incredible families and make us a dish that comes straight from your heart.
A dish that will propel one of you into the MasterChef finale.
Christina: Home cooks, you did an amazing job tonight.
And there is such a huge prize at stake that tonight, instead of just tasting three dishes, we will taste all of your dishes.
So, the first home cook whose dish we'd like to taste this evening Malia.
I'm a little nervous because I took a big risk.
And this is the biggest advantage of a mystery box ever, so hopefully it's the best dish in the kitchen.
Malia, what's the dish? Today, I've made for you a salmon and lemon pesto wrapped in a filo dough, a beurre blanc sauce, some Thumbelina carrots, and some turnips.
How did you cook this salmon? First I wrapped it in filo dough and pesto, and then I put it in the oven and baked it in about 18 to 20 minutes.
- It's on point, my friend.
- Thank you.
The salmon is well-seasoned.
It's beautifully cooked.
Your vegetables make sense.
The beurre blanc has great acidity.
The pesto is delicious.
It can get a little overwhelming, but it's an incredibly refined dish.
Dad, does she cook like this at home? She really elevated it tonight.
- Gorgeous job.
- Thank you.
- Next up, Sadie.
- Yay, it's Sadie.
I took a really big risk tonight because poaching a fish in olive oil, you can easily overcook it.
Look how pretty her dish is.
But we're in the semifinals.
It's either go big or go home, and I don't wanna go home.
Sadie, describe the dish, please.
Today, I made an olive oil poached halibut with deep fried squash blossom stuffed with goat cheese and mint, a spring pea puree, and a frisée salad with a charred lemon vinaigrette.
- Mom, how does that look? - Stunning.
Now, young lady, do you feel more confident under the eyes of mom and big brother? I do feel more confident.
They're my biggest cheerleaders.
They're my emotional support.
They help me get through challenges like this.
It's delicious.
Goat cheese, it's gooey, it's rich.
I love that puree.
Great seasoning.
The salad lightens things up.
The fish itself, cooked beautifully.
But I wouldn't put goat cheese with halibut, 'cause it's a very sharp cheese to serve with a halibut.
However, you are a very strong 12-year-old.
Good job.
Next up, Reid.
My brother and my dad are gonna be really proud of this dish because it represents the South.
So if I win the finalist apron in front of my dad, it's like catching a 10-pound bass in front of him.
That'll mean a lot to me.
Reid, describe your dish, please.
I made you some fried chicken with some mashed potatoes, milk gravy, English peas, and some fried parsley.
I love the golden brown on the outside.
Do you hear that crunch, young man? - Yes, Chef.
- Music to my ears, mijo.
And look how glistening all that is.
Beautiful, moist.
You could see all the speckles of seasoning in there as well.
I put paprika and chili powder in my flour.
Mmm! Mmm-mmm-mmm! That right there is too good for words.
So well-seasoned.
I love the saltiness.
You have texture.
It makes you wanna have another bite.
If there was one thing that I would wanna improve a little bit, make those mashed potatoes a little bit more fluffy.
- Okay.
- But you did such a great job - in executing this.
- Thank you, Chef.
Next up, please bring your dish forward, Ivy.
( whispering ) Oh, yay.
Holy schnitzel! My veal schnitzel looks delicious.
It really represents my time in Germany with my family.
So, fingers crossed, this gets me in the finale.
Miss Ivy, what did you make for us? I made veal schnitzel with a warm German potato salad, and a vegetable salad.
The veal is absolutely the star of your dish.
I think the courgettes are beautiful.
I think that your smartest decision tonight was that warm German potato salad.
It's acidic, it's light, it's not heavy.
The tomatoes, maybe slice them a little thinner, but very nice job.
Thank you, Chef.
Next up, Che, thank you.
I think my dish is definitely finalist apron-worthy because it represents my family so much.
My family really motivated me.
I just hope the flavors go well together.
Che, young man, describe the dish, please.
So, today I have for you a pan-seared red snapper with a black bean puree, crispy polenta croutons, pan-fried baby squash, and herb sauce.
One word stunning.
- Great color on there.
- Thank you.
Love the crispiness on there.
What did you season it with? - Just salt and pepper.
- Beautiful.
Glistening.
What'd you mix the puree with? First I sautéed shallots and garlic, and then I had cumin and coriander in there.
And then I added the black beans and cooked that down for a good amount of time.
What I like about this dish is that it's got harmony.
The fish, cooked beautifully.
I love what you've done with the polenta croutons.
Nice and creamy inside.
And then you have little squash.
Refined beyond belief.
Good job.
The last dish that we'd like to taste, please come up here, Aaron.
This is the best dish I've ever made, and it's amazing that my mom and my sister are witnessing this.
Aaron, please, describe the dish.
I have an Ethiopian lamb lion, and it also has some injera at the bottom of that.
I also have some sautéed spinach, and I have this yogurt sauce.
It has some grated cucumber in there and a little bit of lemon zest.
Man, look how beautiful that cook is.
Really medium rare to rare, that's how you want lamb loin.
Injera is that beautiful kind of fermented bread that is eaten with all Ethiopian meals.
Have you made it before? I have never made it before, Chef, but I decided to take a big risk for a big advantage.
Mmm! Man, I'm having this dish, and it's like transporting me to, like, a souq or a market in Africa somewhere.
Those beautiful baking spices like the cinnamon, the clove acting with the cumin.
Love the lamb loin.
It just needs more injera.
It needs a starch.
But there's a real exotic feel to this dish that I think is really special and is a testament to your family.
Really well done, Aaron.
Dude, good job.
So, tough one.
Six incredible dishes.
Christina: Honestly, any of those six dishes could have been finale-worthy dishes.
- Sure.
I agree.
You happy? - Yes, sir.
Excellent.
Six unique, incredible dishes.
Oh, my God! Tonight's mystery box winner will take the first of three spots in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
The young home cook who has earned this apron and their spot in the "MasterChef Junior" finale the winner is, congratulations The young home cook who has earned this apron and their spot in the "MasterChef Junior" finale, the winner is Che! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.
Aarón: Che, come on up.
I can't believe I won.
I got the finalist apron.
This is like a dream come true to be in the finale, because the trophy, it is in arm's reach now.
- Turn around.
- Aarón: Great job, young man.
I need to grab it.
I need to win.
Gordon: Look at that.
Well done.
You showed great finesse, great flair.
I think that's the best dish you've cooked in this entire competition.
- Great job.
- Thank you.
But before we can start the next challenge, we sadly have to say good-bye to all our very special guests.
Good luck.
You did good.
Nice job, Chee-chee.
- Good job, Aaron.
- Having my family here today gives me a lot of extra motivation.
- Bye! - Gordon: Bye, everyone.
So, now I'm going to cook my heart out, and I am going to get to that finale and win MasterChef Junior.
- Che.
- Yes, Chef.
- Congratulations, young man, - Thank you.
on winning the most important challenge so far.
But that's not all you've won.
Because in the second part of tonight's semifinal, the fate of every talented young home cook is in your hands.
Again? - No.
- Again? The choices that you're about to make, will have a serious influence on who joins you in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
Oh, my God.
I'll be right back.
- ( sighs ) - What? No.
Che, you've had quite the journey here in this kitchen.
And during your time here, I'd say you've gotten to know each other pretty well.
That knowledge is about to become more valuable - than ever before.
- Whoa! - What is this? - Oh, no.
- You're scaring me.
- What is this? It's a box.
Boxes.
In front of us, we have five different ingredients.
Gordon: They're all very similar.
They're often eaten raw, they all have flesh, and they're all fairly common.
- All right, Che, why don't you stand - Yes, Chef.
- behind these boxes? - On the count of three, go ahead and open the first box.
- I'm scared.
- One, two, three.
- Ah! Cherries.
- Really? Cherries? - Okay, you got me.
- Okay.
- That's not bad.
- Interesting.
All right, Che, open up box number two.
- All: Mango! - Che: Mango.
Okay, Che, let's open box number three.
The pineapple.
Christina: Moving on, Che, box number four.
- Pear! - Pear.
Gordon: And the final box.
- Oh, yay! - Gordon: Peaches! The state fruit of Georgia.
- Yay! - Gordon: Yes! Come on.
- Che, it's gonna be up to you - Yes, Chef.
to decide who cooks with what fruit.
Tell Che what fruit you'd love to work with.
Cherries.
Cherries.
Peaches.
Cherries.
- The pineapples.
- Gordon: Interesting.
Che, it's time to make your choices.
I'm gonna give the cherries to this person.
They didn't request cherries.
- Aaron.
- Gordon: Aaron.
Everyone here is a great cook, and we're such great friends.
But I also understand that it's a competition, so I'm not giving anyone a free pass in this finale.
Next up, the mango.
Reid.
Reid, do you get a lot of mangos - back in Newnan? - Nope.
Have you ever had a mango before? - Nope.
- Oh.
Aarón: Next up, Che, the pineapple.
This person is definitely a big threat to me.
- Sadie.
- Sadie, wow.
Everyone's a threat.
I'm worried about anyone that's gonna come to the finale with me.
So I'm gonna make it very hard on my fellow home cooks.
Gordon: Now, next choice obviously dictates the last decision.
First, the buttery pear.
I'm going to assign this person the pear because if I assign the person the other fruit, - it's gonna be too easy for them.
- Gordon: Wow.
Tell us, who are you giving the pear to? Ivy.
- Wow.
Wow.
- Mm.
Malia, pick up the peach.
Thank you.
Che, please head up to the balcony.
I'm from Georgia.
I would love to get a Georgia peach.
But I'm gonna show you, Che, that I can work with pears and I deserve to be in the finale.
You talented five will have 60 minutes and the incredible MasterChef pantry to create a restaurant worthy dish using the fruit that Che assigned you.
The two best dishes tonight will earn a spot in the finale and join Che for the most important cook-off in your entire young lives.
Malia: It all comes down to this, the most important 60 minutes in my entire life.
It's my make it or break it moment.
I can't mess up.
You talented five will have 60 minutes to create a restaurant worthy dish using the fruit that Che assigned you.
The two best dishes tonight will earn a spot in the finale.
Your 60 minutes start now.
Che: Whoo! Go, guys! - Go, go, go! - Whoo-woo! Okay.
Basket.
- Only two of these.
- I need my mangos.
I need a lot of cherries.
Boom.
I feel like cherries are more for desserts, and I'm not really a dessert guy.
Duck fat.
So, I think I'm gonna go savory and show the judges that I belong in the finale.
Let's go, guys.
- All right.
- Yeah, yeah! That's it, guys.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Come on, you want a spot in the finale.
- Let's go.
- Two places up for grabs in the finale.
They could go sweet or they could go savory.
Whichever direction they go in, it could be anyone's game.
- How's it going, Sadie? Great.
- Going good, going good.
The one fruit I do not want to cook with tonight out there has to be the pineapple.
It's fibrous, it's tough to get right.
Sadie, she's got her work cut out.
- Go, Malia.
Go, Malia.
- Gordon: Now, Malia's got peaches.
Peaches are very temperamental.
They can get meaty, they can get watery.
If she can keep the integrity of the peaches intact, - she's joining Che.
- Looking good, Aaron.
Christina: Aaron's cooking with cherries tonight.
Almost everyone except for him wanted to cook with them.
Wow.
Cherries are capable of packing a real punch.
They can be used in thousands of recipes, sweet and savory.
Ivy has pear.
Pears have that soft buttery texture to make a gorgeous dessert.
But take it in a savory direction - just as powerful.
- Come on, Reid.
Reid has mango, but he has no context on how to use it.
Christina: Mango is not easy to get right.
It can be super fibrous, it gets really gummy, and that would cut even a really nice delicate dessert and kind of weigh it down.
Keep going, guys.
You're doing great.
Gordon: Just under 40 minutes remaining.
- All right, Sadie.
- Yes, Chef.
How do you feel about Che giving you pineapple? In Seattle, we don't use a lot of pineapple, but I am familiar with desserts.
Yeah? What are you making? I am making a pineapple upside-down cake with pineapple three ways caramelized, brûléed, and grilled pineapple.
- Gotcha.
- I have never made this dish before, and the fact that I'm making it in the semifinals is pretty risky.
But I am not going home today.
Okay, cool.
- Good luck to you.
- Thank you.
- Reid.
- Yes, ma'am.
Youngest home cook left in this kitchen.
- Yes, Chef.
- Just eight years old.
What are you baking? I'm baking a spiced mango rum cake, passion fruit, and mango coulis, and a brown sugar tuile.
I'm trying to prove that I'm not just a country boy that is behind a grill all the time.
- Good luck.
- Thank you, Chef.
Gordon: 25 minutes to go, guys.
Come on.
Keep going, guys.
You're doing great.
- Right, young lady.
- Hi.
You got dealt the pears.
Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? I am making blue cheese crusted pork chop with sautéed cabbage, pear gastrique, - Wow.
- and caramelized pears.
I'm making a savory dish because most people I figured would do a dessert because fruits are normally sweet.
Wow.
A lot at jeopardy.
- Confident? Good luck.
Let's go.
- Yes, Chef.
- Aaron, that duck breast looks great.
- Thank you.
- Aaron.
- Yes, Chef.
Che gave you cherries.
Yeah, I wish I got pineapples, but I'm going to cook you guys a meal that you have never seen before.
Seared duck breast with some fregula, pickled cherries, cipollini onions, and a cherry sauce.
You're cooking duck tonight.
Are you cooking just one? I see another breast over here, but I don't see it in the pan.
I don't think I'm gonna cook it, Chef.
I think this duck came out perfectly.
All right.
Aaron, good luck.
Gordon: Just under 15 minutes to go.
These have got to be done.
Malia, young lady, tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? Peaches and cream with buttermilk biscuits and candied Macadamia nuts.
What did you caramelize the peaches in? Sauternes, butter, sugar, and a little bit of water.
- Sauternes, like a sweet wine? - Yeah.
Yes, Chef.
Two spots up for grabs.
How you feeling? You know what? I'm feeling really good.
I will be in the finale because this is gonna be the best dish of my life.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
- Gordon: Five minutes to go.
- Looking good, guys.
Gordon: Right, this is it.
Five talented youngsters remain.
Two places up for grabs in the finale.
- Malia, that looks great.
- Thank you.
Che did not pair a single home cook tonight with the fruit that they wanted to work with.
- No.
- But it's on.
These young home cooks are bringing the thunder tonight.
Gordon: We've gotta move.
We're now down to the most important 60 seconds in this competition.
Come on.
Not a lot of time left, guys.
Come on, you got this.
For two of you, a spot in the finale.
And for three of you, the last time inside this incredible kitchen.
Let's go! Make it look wonderful.
This is the last challenge.
- Aarón: Let's go.
- Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
- Gordon: And stop.
- Aarón: Excellent.
- Hands in the air.
- ( applause ) Okay, young home cooks, it's time to find out which two young home cooks will be joining Che in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
First up, a young home cook that tonight was given pineapple.
Sadie, bring your dish forward, please.
Three of the five people competing tonight are going home.
These odds are not in my favor.
But I worked my butt off in this challenge, so hopefully my dish goes well tonight.
Sadie, please describe your dish.
So, today I made a pineapple upside-down cake with pineapple three ways torched pineapple, grilled pineapple, and caramelized pineapple.
I'm not really used to making fruit cakes, but I'm really confident in the cook of my cake.
This upside-down pineapple cake shows a lot of genius.
The flavor delivers.
It's sitting in that beautiful, dark, rich caramel.
I think, for me, the cake itself, it's so sweet, but the grilled pineapple is a nice relief from those very dark, rich flavors.
- Good job, young lady.
- Thank you, Chef.
So, visually, Sadie, this is made by a true artist.
I gotta say, the flavor, it's beautiful and complex.
There is such brightness to this dish.
It's sweet from the pineapple.
It's sweet from the caramel.
What would I do differently? Maybe a little fattiness.
Some sort of whipped cream to help round that out.
But I think you've done a masterful job in proving to us that you can absolutely bake like a MasterChef.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Great job.
- Thank you.
Right, next up, please, Ivy.
Let's go, thank you.
This is one of the most complicated dishes I've ever done in my whole 11-year-old life.
Hopefully, the pork chops are cooked perfectly, because a lot is on the line tonight.
Ivy, this looks stunning.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Describe the dish, please.
Today I made for you blue cheese crusted pork chop with sautéed cabbage, caramelized pears, and a pear gastrique.
First of all, I love the fact you went savory.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Pears could've gone dessert.
The big question is - the cook in the middle.
- Yes, Chef.
If this pork chop is undercooked, - it's good night.
- Yes, Chef.
Ivy, if this pork chop is undercooked, - it's good night.
- Yes, Chef.
Congratulations.
That is cooked beautifully.
It's glistening, it's moist.
Mmm.
Oh, man.
It's delicious.
Blue cheese and pear goes beautifully well.
Blue cheese and pork goes beautifully well.
Cabbage goes well with pear.
Cabbage goes well with pork.
Thank you.
I think it's one of the best dishes you cooked ever.
- Great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Great job, Ivy.
- Thank you.
All right, the next young home cook whose dish we'd like to taste, 8-year-old Reid.
That looks really good, Reid.
Che assigned me mango, which I'm not comfortable with, but I made some pretty fancy stuff in this competition.
So I'm confident that the judges are gonna like it.
- Reid.
- Yes, Chef.
Describe the dish to me, please.
I have made you a spiced mango rum cake with a passion fruit and a mango puree with a cookie on top.
Were you all nervous about the cook on the cake? Yes, Chef, because I wanna show y'all that I can be good behind the grill, behind a stove, and behind anything in life.
Well, Reid, I think you did a very good job with the sauce and the puree.
I think that's where it's at.
For an ingredient that you don't have a lot of familiarity with, - Yes, Chef.
- you sure knocked it out the park.
You used it in three different ways.
I love that.
I think the cake is a little undercooked.
- Okay.
- But there's a lot going on here that's compelling.
- Good job, young man.
- Thank you, Chef.
- I love the cake.
- Thank you, Chef.
I don't think it's undercooked.
The exciting thing for me is that you've combined passion fruit with mango.
That lifts and enhances the cake, 'cause you've got that tartness and the richness.
Really, really delicious.
- Well done.
- Thanks, Chef.
The next young home cook whose dish we'd like to taste Malia.
I'm feeling really confident about my dish.
It has the flavor, it has the consistency.
It has the vibrancy.
It just has everything.
- Miss Malia.
- Yes, Chef.
What did you make? Today, I made for you peaches and cream with buttermilk biscuits, candied Macadamia nuts, and an orange blossom whipped cream.
I think this might be your best-looking dish.
Thank you, Chef.
So, these peaches, how did you prepare them? I caramelized the peaches in some sugar, some water, some butter, and some Sauternes.
Mmm! Malia, you are speaking my language with this dessert.
That Sauternes just lifts the peaches up.
What have you done to the top of this biscuit? Well, I put some heavy cream on top and some sugar, so it could be crunchy on the outside - but soft in the middle.
- Very smart.
That's something I would do.
I think this is an incredibly elegant dish.
It's certainly a dish I could imagine in the MasterChef finale.
- Really nice job.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Delicious.
- Thank you, Chef.
Visually, it's got that wow factor.
Let's get that absolutely clear.
It's an accomplished dish.
It's creative.
I would've preferred a little bit more of the peaches, but I'm seriously impressed.
Right now it's anyone's game.
- Thank you.
- Yes, Chef.
- Thank you.
- Good job, Malia.
Thank you.
Next up, please, Aaron.
Let's go.
Duck is kind of a classic when it comes to cherries, but even though my duck isn't the hero of the dish, my fate all comes down to the cook of this duck.
Describe the dish.
I have sautéed duck and fregula, and it also has some dried cherries in there, chai flowers.
There's also a pickled cherry and a cherry sauce.
You used cherries, what, three times? - Yes, Chef.
- Right.
The heroes have to be the cherry.
But you're up against it, young man, because there's another hero on the plate.
- What is that? - The duck, Chef.
And when we slice through that, describe what we should be looking for.
Chef, when you slice through this duck, it's going to be perfectly cooked.
- Let's get in there, shall we? - Yes, Chef.
Aaron, can you see that duck? - Yes, Chef.
- Slightly under.
- And I'm all about flavor, right? - Yes, Chef.
What you've got on point is the seasoning.
It's beautifully seasoned.
And I love the cherry puree.
All sorts of cherries in there.
It's gonna be a tough call.
It's a good dish.
I don't think it's your best, but it's a very strong effort.
Thank you.
Nice job.
This was the most pressure I've ever felt in the MasterChef kitchen.
There are two spots left to be in the finale.
So I hope one of them is mine.
You five have been incredible.
This is gonna be a big decision.
Christina: That's right.
We need to decide which two home cooks will be joining Che in the finale.
Gordon: We have some very serious discussions to be had.
No matter what happens, we all did an amazing job.
We can only put two of these talented five into the finale with Che.
You guys all did a great job.
- Ivy: Thank you.
- Gordon: This is tough.
Listen, let's go down the line.
- Gordon: Yeah.
- Christina: Aaron, cherries.
Gordon: The duck was undercooked, but the seasoning was on point.
We made it to top six, guys.
- Gordon: Reid's mango rum cake, it was good.
- Aarón: It was good.
I just thought some of it was underdone.
Christina: Malia, those biscuits? - Flaky, crispy on top.
- Gordon: Sure.
Beautiful.
I mean, that was cooked perfect.
- Gordon: Sadie's.
- It's a beautifully tasting cake.
I disagree.
I just thought it was disproportionally sweet.
This is killing me.
- Christina: What about Ivy's? - Aarón: Pretty impressive.
I think the fact that she was able to take some of that German background that she grew up with and applied that, made it her own ( whispering ) Guys, guys, guys.
- Air hug, Che.
- Do we have a decision? - I think we do.
- Yeah.
- Let's go.
- Okay, guys, guys, guys.
Okay, they're coming.
- Che.
- Yes, Chef.
Please, come down.
Thank you.
Two of you are about to join Che and enter the "MasterChef Junior" grand finale.
This wasn't easy.
The decisions come down to the tiniest, and I mean tiniest of details.
Our next finalist is Ivy! Well done, young lady.
I'm going into the "MasterChef Junior" finale! - Great job.
- Aarón: Proud of you.
Thank you.
- I feel so happy right now.
- Ivy, great job.
I think that I have a really good chance of being the next MasterChef Junior.
Christina: All right, you four, there's only one place left.
( whispering ) Please.
Our final young home cook headed into the finale is ( whispering ) Please, please, please.
Malia.
Malia, congratulations.
Come and take your apron.
Thank you.
( squeals ) - Thank you.
Yes.
- Good job.
I got into the finale! Gordon: Well done.
Aaron, Reid, and Sadie, you three have been incredible.
Sadie, you're like the princess of pastry.
- You are a phenomenon.
- Thank you, Chef.
Reid, eight years of age, you are super talented.
Next time I see you, can we go fishing together? You can show me how to catch a proper catfish, right? - Yes, Chef.
- I'm gonna miss you.
Aaron, you're funny, witty, charming.
You've got a career at anything that you decide to do because you put your heart and soul into it.
Right, you three mustn't ever stop cooking.
- All right? - All: Yes, Chef! - Come up here, will you please? - Come on.
Man, we're gonna miss you guys.
Whoa, man! I'm disappointed that I'm not in the finale.
But I'm proud of what I accomplished.
I stepped out of my comfort zone.
I cooked my heart out, and I did my best.
- You did amazing.
- Bye, mama.
I'm gonna miss you.
Going home after working so hard is a little frustrating.
But when I get home, I can't wait to open up my French bistro slash cat cafe.
I've accomplished so much.
I may not have a MasterChef trophy, but I've got the passion to make my dreams come true.
- Bye! - Bye, guys.
- Congrats! - We'll miss you.
Announcer: Next time This is the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
the three best young culinary minds Go, Che! - battle it out - Malia! in the ultimate culinary showdown.
You got this, Ivy! This is so huge.
It's got that little bit of attitude.
This could change my life forever.
Gorgeous.
This is your most beautiful dish.
Winning this competition means everything.
This dish is just pure magic.
But there can be only one MasterChef Junior.
a difficult restaurant challenge ended in the biggest surprise of the season.
The winning team is both teams! - Both teams get to stay? - Congratulations.
Tonight This is the semifinal.
the final mystery box holds the key - What? - Really? to the ultimate prize.
Ivy: This is my chance to go straight to the finale.
Holy schnitzel! Announcer: And then, in a juicy elimination test Three are going home.
only the cooks with raw talent will secure their spot These odds are not in my favor.
in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
- ( cheering ) - Oh, mystery box! - Welcome back, everybody.
- Mystery box! Top six is still going strong.
I'm ready to start the semifinals.
The finale is so close.
It's in reach.
It makes me think about everyone that's helped me along the way all my family members, and that really motivates me to try my best and win the competition.
We are now down to the final six talented young home cooks in the MasterChef Junior competition.
And it's time for your last mystery box challenge.
On the count of three, lift those boxes.
One, two, three.
Reid: What? There's a note! What? Hey, that's my mom's handwriting.
Gordon: As you can see, there are no ingredients under your mystery box tonight.
But there is a little taste from home.
Now, please, all of you, very carefully open your incredible letters from your loved ones.
"Hey, hey, hey! We miss you, Miss Ivy.
You're the best kid I know other than you sister, LOL.
Remember, small is the new big.
We are cheering for you.
Love, Mom.
" "Dear Che, I'm so very proud of your compassionate and brave heart.
You're a wonderful chef.
I know that Daddy's with you in every dish you create and every step you take.
I love you, Mommy.
" "Malia, I know your determination will bring you great success in the MasterChef kitchen.
Now go out there and kick some booty.
Love, Dad.
" Reid: "Hey, buddy, I'm so proud of you.
I know you're going to do great because you always give your whole heart.
I love you, Dad.
" Now, at this critical stage of the competition, we thought a letter from home would strengthen your resolve and remind you of exactly why you're here.
Home cooks, tonight we want to see each of you make a dish inspired by the people who placed that letter under your mystery box.
And it also should reflect how far you've come on your culinary journey here in the MasterChef kitchen.
So, tonight, all of you will have full access to the finest ingredients in the world inside that MasterChef pantry.
You also get to cook on those incredible Viking ranges.
You'll have five minutes to shop in the pantry.
Your five minutes start now.
Aarón: Let's go.
- Get inspired, guys.
- Aarón: Think of home.
- Okay.
- Baskets, baskets! Chicken! Let's go.
Do I want blanc or do I want a chardonnay? There's some eggs in here, some chicken eggs.
I really want to make a dish in honor of my family.
And back in Georgia, my grandma, she cooked a lot of Ethiopian dishes.
And when she cooked them, it brought the family together.
So I'm gonna be making lamb loin with some injera on there, just like all Ethiopian dishes do.
- Sadie, you need these, right? - Thank you.
Are you ready? Oh, man.
He's gonna be so excited.
Bacon, bacon, bacon.
They're coming.
Here we go.
- Reid.
- You gotta be kidding me.
You have your dad Tim and your brother Cade.
Hey, buddy.
- Hey.
- Hi, bud.
Love you.
Hey! - Let's go, Ivy.
- Oh! You've got your mom Timna and your sister Anavi.
- There you go.
You go and run and see mommy.
- Okay.
- Go, go, go, go.
- Hello! - Hello.
- Hi.
- Hi, guy.
- Long time no see.
Oh, my gosh! Aaron, you've got your mom Erica and your big sister Akira.
- Oh, my gosh! - Hi! Oh, my gosh! Hey! Che, you've got your mom Elizabethanne - Hello! - and your little brother Cosimo.
Cosmo.
- ( gasps ) - Malia, come on.
You got your dad Chris - Daddy! - and your big brother Austin.
Hi, guys.
Hi.
Sadie.
You've got your mom Rebecca and your brother Elias.
Sadie! Hi, baby.
I'm really, really happy that my mom and my brother are here.
I've been away from home for so long, so I really needed this, and I'm ready to start cooking and impress my family.
Families, it's so great to have you here tonight.
But you know what, home cooks? You all have to get cooking.
So, please, families, would you do us the honor and head up to the balcony so you could watch your loved ones do what they do best? - Good-bye.
- I'm so proud of you.
- Remember? - Yeah, yeah, I got this.
Gordon: Now, listen carefully.
This is the semifinal.
Whoever wins this challenge tonight, will receive a place in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
Oh, my gosh! ( whispering ) You can do this.
Home cooks, you now have one hour to make us a dish inspired by your incredible loved ones that will propel you straight into the finale.
- You all ready? - All: Yes, Chef! Your 60 minutes start now.
- Top six, semifinal.
- Oven open! It does not get any more high stakes or more emotional than this.
- I'll make you proud, Daddy.
- Do it to it, buddy.
The expectations are higher than ever.
We wanna see technique, we wanna see celebration of ingredients.
You can do it, Malia.
We're proud of you.
Thank you! I love you! But it needs to deliver on every aspect flavor, finesse.
I just wanna see a shine, and good enough for a spot in the finale.
- Going.
- Young home cooks, less than 50 minutes.
My whole family loves fish.
My mom especially loves fresh vegetables.
So I am making olive oil poached halibut with a spring pea puree and a couscous salad.
- I'm just scared for my little sister.
- No, no, no.
She's gonna kill it.
Go, Aaron! Just over 33 minutes remaining.
Come on, guys.
Perfect.
Malia, it looks good.
- Malia, young lady.
- Yes, Chef.
What is the dish? - My whole family loves seafood, - Yeah.
so I'm making a salmon and lemon pesto wrapped in a filo dough with a beurre blanc sauce and Thumbelina carrots.
You know, when you're wrapping it it's almost like you're cooking blind.
We can't see it.
So, why so complicated on a night like tonight, madam? I just wanna get that finalist apron so badly that I'm going head over heels.
- Good luck, young lady.
- Thank you.
- It looks great, Cheech.
- Thank you.
- All right, Che, talk to me about your dish.
- Yes, Chef.
The dish I'm making tonight is a pan-seared red snapper with pan-fried baby squash, with a black bean puree, crispy polenta croutons, and herb sauce.
But my dish is inspired by a lot of things.
My mom grows squash in her garden.
Inspired by my dad because of my Italian heritage.
And the polenta croutons, my brothers, because I make black bean soup for them all the time when they get home from school.
It is truly a testament and a love letter to your family.
- Yes, Chef.
Thank you, Chef.
- All right, young man, good luck.
You're doing amazing, buddy.
Doing amazing.
- I love you, Daddy.
- I love you, too, buddy.
Reid, tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? I'm making fried chicken with some English peas, some mashed potatoes, and buttermilk gravy.
Do you know the most inspiring thing about you? Being the youngest in this competition.
You'd never think it based on the level of maturity.
- Do you think you've changed? - I think I've really changed a lot, Chef.
I've become a better cook than I was when I was in the backyard doing steaks.
Good luck, young man.
All right, everyone, less than 20 minutes.
If you want that spot in the finale, let's go.
Aww, nice.
- Hello.
- Ivy.
- What are you cooking? - I'm making veal schnitzel with a warm German potato salad, and a vegetable salad.
It's my sister's and my favorite German dish.
My dad is German, and I lived in Germany for seven years.
Wow.
It tells me you mean business.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
Wow.
They are definitely putting their heart and soul on every plate this evening.
And the best dish of the night gets a spot in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
90 seconds to go.
Come on, guys.
- Start plating.
- They all look so good.
It needs to be perfect.
Oh, my God.
Just plating Tim: Be careful with that chicken.
Oh, Lord.
30 seconds to go - Hurry! - to confirm your spot in the grand finale.
Yep.
I really want that finalist apron.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
- And stop.
Hands in the air.
- Aarón: That's it! Christina: Hands in the air.
Gordon: Well done, everybody.
Tonight, we asked all of you to take inspiration from your incredible families and make us a dish that comes straight from your heart.
A dish that will propel one of you into the MasterChef finale.
Christina: Home cooks, you did an amazing job tonight.
And there is such a huge prize at stake that tonight, instead of just tasting three dishes, we will taste all of your dishes.
So, the first home cook whose dish we'd like to taste this evening Malia.
I'm a little nervous because I took a big risk.
And this is the biggest advantage of a mystery box ever, so hopefully it's the best dish in the kitchen.
Malia, what's the dish? Today, I've made for you a salmon and lemon pesto wrapped in a filo dough, a beurre blanc sauce, some Thumbelina carrots, and some turnips.
How did you cook this salmon? First I wrapped it in filo dough and pesto, and then I put it in the oven and baked it in about 18 to 20 minutes.
- It's on point, my friend.
- Thank you.
The salmon is well-seasoned.
It's beautifully cooked.
Your vegetables make sense.
The beurre blanc has great acidity.
The pesto is delicious.
It can get a little overwhelming, but it's an incredibly refined dish.
Dad, does she cook like this at home? She really elevated it tonight.
- Gorgeous job.
- Thank you.
- Next up, Sadie.
- Yay, it's Sadie.
I took a really big risk tonight because poaching a fish in olive oil, you can easily overcook it.
Look how pretty her dish is.
But we're in the semifinals.
It's either go big or go home, and I don't wanna go home.
Sadie, describe the dish, please.
Today, I made an olive oil poached halibut with deep fried squash blossom stuffed with goat cheese and mint, a spring pea puree, and a frisée salad with a charred lemon vinaigrette.
- Mom, how does that look? - Stunning.
Now, young lady, do you feel more confident under the eyes of mom and big brother? I do feel more confident.
They're my biggest cheerleaders.
They're my emotional support.
They help me get through challenges like this.
It's delicious.
Goat cheese, it's gooey, it's rich.
I love that puree.
Great seasoning.
The salad lightens things up.
The fish itself, cooked beautifully.
But I wouldn't put goat cheese with halibut, 'cause it's a very sharp cheese to serve with a halibut.
However, you are a very strong 12-year-old.
Good job.
Next up, Reid.
My brother and my dad are gonna be really proud of this dish because it represents the South.
So if I win the finalist apron in front of my dad, it's like catching a 10-pound bass in front of him.
That'll mean a lot to me.
Reid, describe your dish, please.
I made you some fried chicken with some mashed potatoes, milk gravy, English peas, and some fried parsley.
I love the golden brown on the outside.
Do you hear that crunch, young man? - Yes, Chef.
- Music to my ears, mijo.
And look how glistening all that is.
Beautiful, moist.
You could see all the speckles of seasoning in there as well.
I put paprika and chili powder in my flour.
Mmm! Mmm-mmm-mmm! That right there is too good for words.
So well-seasoned.
I love the saltiness.
You have texture.
It makes you wanna have another bite.
If there was one thing that I would wanna improve a little bit, make those mashed potatoes a little bit more fluffy.
- Okay.
- But you did such a great job - in executing this.
- Thank you, Chef.
Next up, please bring your dish forward, Ivy.
( whispering ) Oh, yay.
Holy schnitzel! My veal schnitzel looks delicious.
It really represents my time in Germany with my family.
So, fingers crossed, this gets me in the finale.
Miss Ivy, what did you make for us? I made veal schnitzel with a warm German potato salad, and a vegetable salad.
The veal is absolutely the star of your dish.
I think the courgettes are beautiful.
I think that your smartest decision tonight was that warm German potato salad.
It's acidic, it's light, it's not heavy.
The tomatoes, maybe slice them a little thinner, but very nice job.
Thank you, Chef.
Next up, Che, thank you.
I think my dish is definitely finalist apron-worthy because it represents my family so much.
My family really motivated me.
I just hope the flavors go well together.
Che, young man, describe the dish, please.
So, today I have for you a pan-seared red snapper with a black bean puree, crispy polenta croutons, pan-fried baby squash, and herb sauce.
One word stunning.
- Great color on there.
- Thank you.
Love the crispiness on there.
What did you season it with? - Just salt and pepper.
- Beautiful.
Glistening.
What'd you mix the puree with? First I sautéed shallots and garlic, and then I had cumin and coriander in there.
And then I added the black beans and cooked that down for a good amount of time.
What I like about this dish is that it's got harmony.
The fish, cooked beautifully.
I love what you've done with the polenta croutons.
Nice and creamy inside.
And then you have little squash.
Refined beyond belief.
Good job.
The last dish that we'd like to taste, please come up here, Aaron.
This is the best dish I've ever made, and it's amazing that my mom and my sister are witnessing this.
Aaron, please, describe the dish.
I have an Ethiopian lamb lion, and it also has some injera at the bottom of that.
I also have some sautéed spinach, and I have this yogurt sauce.
It has some grated cucumber in there and a little bit of lemon zest.
Man, look how beautiful that cook is.
Really medium rare to rare, that's how you want lamb loin.
Injera is that beautiful kind of fermented bread that is eaten with all Ethiopian meals.
Have you made it before? I have never made it before, Chef, but I decided to take a big risk for a big advantage.
Mmm! Man, I'm having this dish, and it's like transporting me to, like, a souq or a market in Africa somewhere.
Those beautiful baking spices like the cinnamon, the clove acting with the cumin.
Love the lamb loin.
It just needs more injera.
It needs a starch.
But there's a real exotic feel to this dish that I think is really special and is a testament to your family.
Really well done, Aaron.
Dude, good job.
So, tough one.
Six incredible dishes.
Christina: Honestly, any of those six dishes could have been finale-worthy dishes.
- Sure.
I agree.
You happy? - Yes, sir.
Excellent.
Six unique, incredible dishes.
Oh, my God! Tonight's mystery box winner will take the first of three spots in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
The young home cook who has earned this apron and their spot in the "MasterChef Junior" finale the winner is, congratulations The young home cook who has earned this apron and their spot in the "MasterChef Junior" finale, the winner is Che! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.
Aarón: Che, come on up.
I can't believe I won.
I got the finalist apron.
This is like a dream come true to be in the finale, because the trophy, it is in arm's reach now.
- Turn around.
- Aarón: Great job, young man.
I need to grab it.
I need to win.
Gordon: Look at that.
Well done.
You showed great finesse, great flair.
I think that's the best dish you've cooked in this entire competition.
- Great job.
- Thank you.
But before we can start the next challenge, we sadly have to say good-bye to all our very special guests.
Good luck.
You did good.
Nice job, Chee-chee.
- Good job, Aaron.
- Having my family here today gives me a lot of extra motivation.
- Bye! - Gordon: Bye, everyone.
So, now I'm going to cook my heart out, and I am going to get to that finale and win MasterChef Junior.
- Che.
- Yes, Chef.
- Congratulations, young man, - Thank you.
on winning the most important challenge so far.
But that's not all you've won.
Because in the second part of tonight's semifinal, the fate of every talented young home cook is in your hands.
Again? - No.
- Again? The choices that you're about to make, will have a serious influence on who joins you in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
Oh, my God.
I'll be right back.
- ( sighs ) - What? No.
Che, you've had quite the journey here in this kitchen.
And during your time here, I'd say you've gotten to know each other pretty well.
That knowledge is about to become more valuable - than ever before.
- Whoa! - What is this? - Oh, no.
- You're scaring me.
- What is this? It's a box.
Boxes.
In front of us, we have five different ingredients.
Gordon: They're all very similar.
They're often eaten raw, they all have flesh, and they're all fairly common.
- All right, Che, why don't you stand - Yes, Chef.
- behind these boxes? - On the count of three, go ahead and open the first box.
- I'm scared.
- One, two, three.
- Ah! Cherries.
- Really? Cherries? - Okay, you got me.
- Okay.
- That's not bad.
- Interesting.
All right, Che, open up box number two.
- All: Mango! - Che: Mango.
Okay, Che, let's open box number three.
The pineapple.
Christina: Moving on, Che, box number four.
- Pear! - Pear.
Gordon: And the final box.
- Oh, yay! - Gordon: Peaches! The state fruit of Georgia.
- Yay! - Gordon: Yes! Come on.
- Che, it's gonna be up to you - Yes, Chef.
to decide who cooks with what fruit.
Tell Che what fruit you'd love to work with.
Cherries.
Cherries.
Peaches.
Cherries.
- The pineapples.
- Gordon: Interesting.
Che, it's time to make your choices.
I'm gonna give the cherries to this person.
They didn't request cherries.
- Aaron.
- Gordon: Aaron.
Everyone here is a great cook, and we're such great friends.
But I also understand that it's a competition, so I'm not giving anyone a free pass in this finale.
Next up, the mango.
Reid.
Reid, do you get a lot of mangos - back in Newnan? - Nope.
Have you ever had a mango before? - Nope.
- Oh.
Aarón: Next up, Che, the pineapple.
This person is definitely a big threat to me.
- Sadie.
- Sadie, wow.
Everyone's a threat.
I'm worried about anyone that's gonna come to the finale with me.
So I'm gonna make it very hard on my fellow home cooks.
Gordon: Now, next choice obviously dictates the last decision.
First, the buttery pear.
I'm going to assign this person the pear because if I assign the person the other fruit, - it's gonna be too easy for them.
- Gordon: Wow.
Tell us, who are you giving the pear to? Ivy.
- Wow.
Wow.
- Mm.
Malia, pick up the peach.
Thank you.
Che, please head up to the balcony.
I'm from Georgia.
I would love to get a Georgia peach.
But I'm gonna show you, Che, that I can work with pears and I deserve to be in the finale.
You talented five will have 60 minutes and the incredible MasterChef pantry to create a restaurant worthy dish using the fruit that Che assigned you.
The two best dishes tonight will earn a spot in the finale and join Che for the most important cook-off in your entire young lives.
Malia: It all comes down to this, the most important 60 minutes in my entire life.
It's my make it or break it moment.
I can't mess up.
You talented five will have 60 minutes to create a restaurant worthy dish using the fruit that Che assigned you.
The two best dishes tonight will earn a spot in the finale.
Your 60 minutes start now.
Che: Whoo! Go, guys! - Go, go, go! - Whoo-woo! Okay.
Basket.
- Only two of these.
- I need my mangos.
I need a lot of cherries.
Boom.
I feel like cherries are more for desserts, and I'm not really a dessert guy.
Duck fat.
So, I think I'm gonna go savory and show the judges that I belong in the finale.
Let's go, guys.
- All right.
- Yeah, yeah! That's it, guys.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Come on, you want a spot in the finale.
- Let's go.
- Two places up for grabs in the finale.
They could go sweet or they could go savory.
Whichever direction they go in, it could be anyone's game.
- How's it going, Sadie? Great.
- Going good, going good.
The one fruit I do not want to cook with tonight out there has to be the pineapple.
It's fibrous, it's tough to get right.
Sadie, she's got her work cut out.
- Go, Malia.
Go, Malia.
- Gordon: Now, Malia's got peaches.
Peaches are very temperamental.
They can get meaty, they can get watery.
If she can keep the integrity of the peaches intact, - she's joining Che.
- Looking good, Aaron.
Christina: Aaron's cooking with cherries tonight.
Almost everyone except for him wanted to cook with them.
Wow.
Cherries are capable of packing a real punch.
They can be used in thousands of recipes, sweet and savory.
Ivy has pear.
Pears have that soft buttery texture to make a gorgeous dessert.
But take it in a savory direction - just as powerful.
- Come on, Reid.
Reid has mango, but he has no context on how to use it.
Christina: Mango is not easy to get right.
It can be super fibrous, it gets really gummy, and that would cut even a really nice delicate dessert and kind of weigh it down.
Keep going, guys.
You're doing great.
Gordon: Just under 40 minutes remaining.
- All right, Sadie.
- Yes, Chef.
How do you feel about Che giving you pineapple? In Seattle, we don't use a lot of pineapple, but I am familiar with desserts.
Yeah? What are you making? I am making a pineapple upside-down cake with pineapple three ways caramelized, brûléed, and grilled pineapple.
- Gotcha.
- I have never made this dish before, and the fact that I'm making it in the semifinals is pretty risky.
But I am not going home today.
Okay, cool.
- Good luck to you.
- Thank you.
- Reid.
- Yes, ma'am.
Youngest home cook left in this kitchen.
- Yes, Chef.
- Just eight years old.
What are you baking? I'm baking a spiced mango rum cake, passion fruit, and mango coulis, and a brown sugar tuile.
I'm trying to prove that I'm not just a country boy that is behind a grill all the time.
- Good luck.
- Thank you, Chef.
Gordon: 25 minutes to go, guys.
Come on.
Keep going, guys.
You're doing great.
- Right, young lady.
- Hi.
You got dealt the pears.
Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? I am making blue cheese crusted pork chop with sautéed cabbage, pear gastrique, - Wow.
- and caramelized pears.
I'm making a savory dish because most people I figured would do a dessert because fruits are normally sweet.
Wow.
A lot at jeopardy.
- Confident? Good luck.
Let's go.
- Yes, Chef.
- Aaron, that duck breast looks great.
- Thank you.
- Aaron.
- Yes, Chef.
Che gave you cherries.
Yeah, I wish I got pineapples, but I'm going to cook you guys a meal that you have never seen before.
Seared duck breast with some fregula, pickled cherries, cipollini onions, and a cherry sauce.
You're cooking duck tonight.
Are you cooking just one? I see another breast over here, but I don't see it in the pan.
I don't think I'm gonna cook it, Chef.
I think this duck came out perfectly.
All right.
Aaron, good luck.
Gordon: Just under 15 minutes to go.
These have got to be done.
Malia, young lady, tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? Peaches and cream with buttermilk biscuits and candied Macadamia nuts.
What did you caramelize the peaches in? Sauternes, butter, sugar, and a little bit of water.
- Sauternes, like a sweet wine? - Yeah.
Yes, Chef.
Two spots up for grabs.
How you feeling? You know what? I'm feeling really good.
I will be in the finale because this is gonna be the best dish of my life.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
- Gordon: Five minutes to go.
- Looking good, guys.
Gordon: Right, this is it.
Five talented youngsters remain.
Two places up for grabs in the finale.
- Malia, that looks great.
- Thank you.
Che did not pair a single home cook tonight with the fruit that they wanted to work with.
- No.
- But it's on.
These young home cooks are bringing the thunder tonight.
Gordon: We've gotta move.
We're now down to the most important 60 seconds in this competition.
Come on.
Not a lot of time left, guys.
Come on, you got this.
For two of you, a spot in the finale.
And for three of you, the last time inside this incredible kitchen.
Let's go! Make it look wonderful.
This is the last challenge.
- Aarón: Let's go.
- Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
- Gordon: And stop.
- Aarón: Excellent.
- Hands in the air.
- ( applause ) Okay, young home cooks, it's time to find out which two young home cooks will be joining Che in the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
First up, a young home cook that tonight was given pineapple.
Sadie, bring your dish forward, please.
Three of the five people competing tonight are going home.
These odds are not in my favor.
But I worked my butt off in this challenge, so hopefully my dish goes well tonight.
Sadie, please describe your dish.
So, today I made a pineapple upside-down cake with pineapple three ways torched pineapple, grilled pineapple, and caramelized pineapple.
I'm not really used to making fruit cakes, but I'm really confident in the cook of my cake.
This upside-down pineapple cake shows a lot of genius.
The flavor delivers.
It's sitting in that beautiful, dark, rich caramel.
I think, for me, the cake itself, it's so sweet, but the grilled pineapple is a nice relief from those very dark, rich flavors.
- Good job, young lady.
- Thank you, Chef.
So, visually, Sadie, this is made by a true artist.
I gotta say, the flavor, it's beautiful and complex.
There is such brightness to this dish.
It's sweet from the pineapple.
It's sweet from the caramel.
What would I do differently? Maybe a little fattiness.
Some sort of whipped cream to help round that out.
But I think you've done a masterful job in proving to us that you can absolutely bake like a MasterChef.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Great job.
- Thank you.
Right, next up, please, Ivy.
Let's go, thank you.
This is one of the most complicated dishes I've ever done in my whole 11-year-old life.
Hopefully, the pork chops are cooked perfectly, because a lot is on the line tonight.
Ivy, this looks stunning.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Describe the dish, please.
Today I made for you blue cheese crusted pork chop with sautéed cabbage, caramelized pears, and a pear gastrique.
First of all, I love the fact you went savory.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Pears could've gone dessert.
The big question is - the cook in the middle.
- Yes, Chef.
If this pork chop is undercooked, - it's good night.
- Yes, Chef.
Ivy, if this pork chop is undercooked, - it's good night.
- Yes, Chef.
Congratulations.
That is cooked beautifully.
It's glistening, it's moist.
Mmm.
Oh, man.
It's delicious.
Blue cheese and pear goes beautifully well.
Blue cheese and pork goes beautifully well.
Cabbage goes well with pear.
Cabbage goes well with pork.
Thank you.
I think it's one of the best dishes you cooked ever.
- Great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Great job, Ivy.
- Thank you.
All right, the next young home cook whose dish we'd like to taste, 8-year-old Reid.
That looks really good, Reid.
Che assigned me mango, which I'm not comfortable with, but I made some pretty fancy stuff in this competition.
So I'm confident that the judges are gonna like it.
- Reid.
- Yes, Chef.
Describe the dish to me, please.
I have made you a spiced mango rum cake with a passion fruit and a mango puree with a cookie on top.
Were you all nervous about the cook on the cake? Yes, Chef, because I wanna show y'all that I can be good behind the grill, behind a stove, and behind anything in life.
Well, Reid, I think you did a very good job with the sauce and the puree.
I think that's where it's at.
For an ingredient that you don't have a lot of familiarity with, - Yes, Chef.
- you sure knocked it out the park.
You used it in three different ways.
I love that.
I think the cake is a little undercooked.
- Okay.
- But there's a lot going on here that's compelling.
- Good job, young man.
- Thank you, Chef.
- I love the cake.
- Thank you, Chef.
I don't think it's undercooked.
The exciting thing for me is that you've combined passion fruit with mango.
That lifts and enhances the cake, 'cause you've got that tartness and the richness.
Really, really delicious.
- Well done.
- Thanks, Chef.
The next young home cook whose dish we'd like to taste Malia.
I'm feeling really confident about my dish.
It has the flavor, it has the consistency.
It has the vibrancy.
It just has everything.
- Miss Malia.
- Yes, Chef.
What did you make? Today, I made for you peaches and cream with buttermilk biscuits, candied Macadamia nuts, and an orange blossom whipped cream.
I think this might be your best-looking dish.
Thank you, Chef.
So, these peaches, how did you prepare them? I caramelized the peaches in some sugar, some water, some butter, and some Sauternes.
Mmm! Malia, you are speaking my language with this dessert.
That Sauternes just lifts the peaches up.
What have you done to the top of this biscuit? Well, I put some heavy cream on top and some sugar, so it could be crunchy on the outside - but soft in the middle.
- Very smart.
That's something I would do.
I think this is an incredibly elegant dish.
It's certainly a dish I could imagine in the MasterChef finale.
- Really nice job.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Delicious.
- Thank you, Chef.
Visually, it's got that wow factor.
Let's get that absolutely clear.
It's an accomplished dish.
It's creative.
I would've preferred a little bit more of the peaches, but I'm seriously impressed.
Right now it's anyone's game.
- Thank you.
- Yes, Chef.
- Thank you.
- Good job, Malia.
Thank you.
Next up, please, Aaron.
Let's go.
Duck is kind of a classic when it comes to cherries, but even though my duck isn't the hero of the dish, my fate all comes down to the cook of this duck.
Describe the dish.
I have sautéed duck and fregula, and it also has some dried cherries in there, chai flowers.
There's also a pickled cherry and a cherry sauce.
You used cherries, what, three times? - Yes, Chef.
- Right.
The heroes have to be the cherry.
But you're up against it, young man, because there's another hero on the plate.
- What is that? - The duck, Chef.
And when we slice through that, describe what we should be looking for.
Chef, when you slice through this duck, it's going to be perfectly cooked.
- Let's get in there, shall we? - Yes, Chef.
Aaron, can you see that duck? - Yes, Chef.
- Slightly under.
- And I'm all about flavor, right? - Yes, Chef.
What you've got on point is the seasoning.
It's beautifully seasoned.
And I love the cherry puree.
All sorts of cherries in there.
It's gonna be a tough call.
It's a good dish.
I don't think it's your best, but it's a very strong effort.
Thank you.
Nice job.
This was the most pressure I've ever felt in the MasterChef kitchen.
There are two spots left to be in the finale.
So I hope one of them is mine.
You five have been incredible.
This is gonna be a big decision.
Christina: That's right.
We need to decide which two home cooks will be joining Che in the finale.
Gordon: We have some very serious discussions to be had.
No matter what happens, we all did an amazing job.
We can only put two of these talented five into the finale with Che.
You guys all did a great job.
- Ivy: Thank you.
- Gordon: This is tough.
Listen, let's go down the line.
- Gordon: Yeah.
- Christina: Aaron, cherries.
Gordon: The duck was undercooked, but the seasoning was on point.
We made it to top six, guys.
- Gordon: Reid's mango rum cake, it was good.
- Aarón: It was good.
I just thought some of it was underdone.
Christina: Malia, those biscuits? - Flaky, crispy on top.
- Gordon: Sure.
Beautiful.
I mean, that was cooked perfect.
- Gordon: Sadie's.
- It's a beautifully tasting cake.
I disagree.
I just thought it was disproportionally sweet.
This is killing me.
- Christina: What about Ivy's? - Aarón: Pretty impressive.
I think the fact that she was able to take some of that German background that she grew up with and applied that, made it her own ( whispering ) Guys, guys, guys.
- Air hug, Che.
- Do we have a decision? - I think we do.
- Yeah.
- Let's go.
- Okay, guys, guys, guys.
Okay, they're coming.
- Che.
- Yes, Chef.
Please, come down.
Thank you.
Two of you are about to join Che and enter the "MasterChef Junior" grand finale.
This wasn't easy.
The decisions come down to the tiniest, and I mean tiniest of details.
Our next finalist is Ivy! Well done, young lady.
I'm going into the "MasterChef Junior" finale! - Great job.
- Aarón: Proud of you.
Thank you.
- I feel so happy right now.
- Ivy, great job.
I think that I have a really good chance of being the next MasterChef Junior.
Christina: All right, you four, there's only one place left.
( whispering ) Please.
Our final young home cook headed into the finale is ( whispering ) Please, please, please.
Malia.
Malia, congratulations.
Come and take your apron.
Thank you.
( squeals ) - Thank you.
Yes.
- Good job.
I got into the finale! Gordon: Well done.
Aaron, Reid, and Sadie, you three have been incredible.
Sadie, you're like the princess of pastry.
- You are a phenomenon.
- Thank you, Chef.
Reid, eight years of age, you are super talented.
Next time I see you, can we go fishing together? You can show me how to catch a proper catfish, right? - Yes, Chef.
- I'm gonna miss you.
Aaron, you're funny, witty, charming.
You've got a career at anything that you decide to do because you put your heart and soul into it.
Right, you three mustn't ever stop cooking.
- All right? - All: Yes, Chef! - Come up here, will you please? - Come on.
Man, we're gonna miss you guys.
Whoa, man! I'm disappointed that I'm not in the finale.
But I'm proud of what I accomplished.
I stepped out of my comfort zone.
I cooked my heart out, and I did my best.
- You did amazing.
- Bye, mama.
I'm gonna miss you.
Going home after working so hard is a little frustrating.
But when I get home, I can't wait to open up my French bistro slash cat cafe.
I've accomplished so much.
I may not have a MasterChef trophy, but I've got the passion to make my dreams come true.
- Bye! - Bye, guys.
- Congrats! - We'll miss you.
Announcer: Next time This is the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
the three best young culinary minds Go, Che! - battle it out - Malia! in the ultimate culinary showdown.
You got this, Ivy! This is so huge.
It's got that little bit of attitude.
This could change my life forever.
Gorgeous.
This is your most beautiful dish.
Winning this competition means everything.
This dish is just pure magic.
But there can be only one MasterChef Junior.