Following the judges’ decision to cut the competition in half during the season 1 premiere, here are the Top 12 contestants competing for the $100,000 grand prize on the first-ever MasterChef Junior, which airs Fridays at 8pm on FOX.
#24 Alexander
Age: 13
Hometown: New York, NY
#23 Alexander
Favorite Food: “A good burger. Simple but amazing when made to perfection!”
#22 Dara
Age: 12
Hometown: Culver City, CA
#21 Dara
Favorite Food: “Any type of meat, because it’s so versatile.”
#20 Gavin
Age: 10
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
#19 Gavin
Favorite Food: “Fruit. You can do so many things with it. You can make a puree, a compote, have it by itself or dry it. There are endless possibilities!”
#18 Jack
Age: 10
Hometown: East Rockaway, NJ
#17 Jack
Favorite Food: “Beef Wellington. It has everything that I love: prosciutto, beef and carbs.”
#16 Jewels
Age: 12
Hometown: Manalapan, NJ
#15 Jewels
Favorite Food: “Cucumbers, hands down. I love the crispy and clean taste. Plus, they are very hydrating!”
#14 Kaylen
Age: 11
Hometown: Culver City, CA
#13 Kaylen
Favorite Food: “Sushi! It comes in so many flavors and styles.”
#12 Molly
Age: 12
Hometown: Pasadena, CA
#11 Molly
Favorite Food: “Any type of dumpling! You get a lot of different flavors in every bite, and you can eat a lot of them!”
#10 Roen
Age: 12
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
#9 Roen
Favorite Food: “I love sushi so much because of how fresh and cool it is. For me, it’s a food that is great in any weather, cold or warm.”
#8 Sarah
Age: 9
Hometown: Culver City, CA
#7 Sarah
Favorite Food: “Sushi, or gummy worms. I would say gummy worms, but I would need something healthy too … and I LOVE sushi!”
#6 Sofia
Age: 12
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
#5 Sofia
Favorite Food: “Sushi — because that one speaks for itself!”
#4 Tommy
Age: 11
Hometown: Palos Verdes Estates, CA
#3 Tommy
Favorite Food: “I could eat Pasta Bolognese for the rest of my life!”
#2 Troy
Age: 12
Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA
#1 Troy
Favorite Food: “Pasta is definitely my favorite food!”
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
Jeff Dodge, a graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena.
