On this episode of MasterChef Junior, “A Gordan Ramsay Dinner Party,” the home cooks cater a party at Gordon Ramsay’s house for some VIP guests and two more chefs are eliminated.
If you want to feel like a major underachiever, just tune in and take a look at the six remaining home cooks on MasterChef Junior. But playtime is over, and now these kiddos are going to be put to the ultimate test.
A Three-Star Challenge
The chefs will be preparing a three-Michelin-star level luncheon for some culinary heavyweights, and the host of this party is none other than Gordon Ramsay himself. Since Addison and Amaya came out on top in the last challenge, they will be the team captains. The teams are as follows:
Red Team: Amaya, Zac, and Avery
Blue Team: Addison, Kya and JJ
The menu has been adapted from Gordon’s three-Michelin star restaurant in London and consists of two courses. The appetizer is a pan-seared red snapper with rainbow chard and a shellfish broth. The main course is a venison loin with cabbage, gnocchi, chanterelles (mushrooms) and a parsnip puree.
Gordon gives the kids a quick tutorial on how to prepare the dishes and then he informs the competitors that his guests have no idea that their meals are being prepared by cooks ages 8-12. His reputation is at stake, and it’s all in the home cooks’ little hands.
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Will the Teams Crumble or Rise to the Challenge?
The teams have 50 minutes to complete the appetizers. Amaya’s strategy is to split the components up between team members, while Addison decides to let everyone make their own plates. The teams have to deliver 13 portions simultaneously, and when Gordon catches wind of Amaya’s ill-fated plan, he sets her straight, immediately.
Christina, Graham and Gordon linger nearby, and Christina questions if they might have given the precocious home cooks too difficult of a job, but Gordon is confident these six can pull it off.
The Blue Team is in trouble. Kya is burning the fish, and JJ is constantly looking to Addison for guidance instead of figuring out how to do things on his own. When it comes time to plate, the Blue Team are short one portion of fish. D..i…saster.
Each of Gordon’s guests, along with Graham and Christina, will taste only one team’s dish. Their comments will play a huge part in helping Gordon determine a winner. Like any good host would, Gordon takes the plate missing the snapper.
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It’s Not How You Start, It’s How You Finish
Overall, the feedback is positive. Now the cooks have 60 minutes to prepare the entree, and the Blue Team is feeling a bit down in the dumps after their rocky start. Gordon pulls Addison aside and let’s her know that she’s got to step it up if she doesn’t want to go home.
The Red Team is having some communication issues. Amaya is convinced that the venison has to cook at 450 degrees, but Zac insists it’s 350. Zac and Avery are losing confidence in Amaya’s leadership capabilities as her mistakes continue to pile up.
Christina deals with a teary Amaya and tells her now is the time to dig deep and show her team that she’s got this! There’s no crying in MasterChef Junior. Actually, there’s been a lot of crying, but I’ve seen full-grown chefs dissolve into tears when under pressure.
Gordon steps in to help the Blue Team and winds up with a scalding hot pan of food dumped on his feet by JJ. As if that’s not bad enough, Gordon realizes that the Red Team’s venison is overcooked. Gordon advises Zac that it’s time for him to take charge.
JJ failed to recook the venison he spilled on Gordon, and with service looming, Gordon threatens to send the Blue Team to sit in the car while he finishes their entrees, but despite running out of time and energy, Addison isn’t about to let her team fall apart on her watch.
There’s a whole lot of drama, but Zac, being the eldest, remains calm and collected. Christina notes that he’s a multi-tasker and strong enough of a cook to make a mistake and recover. She’s also impressed with Kya, 8, and Addison, 9, and their ability to put together these dishes.
The final products from both teams are stunning, but the real test is how the dishes taste. The winner will be decided by taste, presentation and overall performance.
The diners are all impressed, but the best part is when Gordon decides to bring his little prodigies out for the big reveal. The reactions are priceless, and the diners give the kids a standing ovation.
The Judges’ Toughest Decision Yet
Back in the MasterChef Junior kitchen, it’s time to find out which team prevailed. After a lot of pauses, dramatic music and a commercial break, we learn the Red Team won, so Zac, Amaya and Avery are definitely going to the semifinals. The judges decide to save Addison which means JJ and Kya are sent home.
MasterChef Junior airs Fridays at 8pm on Friday.
Image courtesy of FOX
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
