The season 2 finale of MasterChef Junior is upon us. And though it’s exciting, I find it a bit anti-climatic. Both Logan and Samuel take risks in the kitchen for their three-course meal. And both impress the judges. But only one can be crowned the winner of the competition and win $100,000. And that winner might surprise you.
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The Appetizers
Friends, family and former competitors show up to cheer on Samuel and Logan in the MasterChef Junior finale. Their task is to cook a three-course meal in 90 minutes. They have 10 minutes in the pantry. Both head in on a mission and then get to work. They take risks using liquid nitrogen and even a smoking gun, wowing the crowd from above.
After the 90 minutes are up, the tastings begin. First up, the appetizers.
Samuel cooks southeast Asian chicken oysters with pickled radish and cucumber, and spicy crisp rice. All in all, the judges are impressed with the presentation, but Gordon and Joe agree that it has a bit too much vinegar that overpowers the dish. Logan cooks grilled spot prawns with smoked saffron aioli. All the judges also love this dish, but agree there’s a bit too much olive flavor in it. I’m just impressed they could come up with the apps!
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The Entrees
Next up are the entrees. Both contestants choose to cook fish. Samuel goes with a seared arctic char with coconut saffron curry with mushrooms and noodles, while Logan chooses a salt-crusted branzino with chimichurri and roasted vegetables. The judges really like both dishes, but you can tell they favor Logan over Samuel. However, Gordon thinks both contestants chose the wrong sauce for their dishes.
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The Desserts
Everyone’s favorite is next: dessert. I have to say, I am quite impressed with both, only because I’ve never even heard of them! So for an 11- and 12-year-old to not only think up but cook them is an amazing feat in itself.
Samuel cooks a kaffir lime panna cotta with passion fruit and raspberry. All the judges are really impressed with the passion fruit aspect of the dessert. Meanwhile, Logan chooses a meyer lemon madeleine with goat-cheese mousse. Again, the judges are impressed with the sweet and saltiness of the dish.
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And the Winner Is…
The judges all agree that it’s a tough decision to make, as both chefs wowed them throughout the entire season. In the end, though, Logan wins the title of MasterChef Junior and $100,000.
You can tell Samuel is very upset by this loss. But Logan fought hard for the title. I feel that he came from behind and made his way to the very top. Samuel, while he has impressed the judges with his unique and sophisticated style of cooking, came across as a little over-confident. And while that’s good for the kitchen, in the end I think it might have hurt him. I think Joe said it best when he described Logan as a chef with style and the magic to make the dishes his own.
I’m very happy for Logan. But I hope all the contestants on the show continue to expand their cooking knowledge and do good things in the kitchen.
MasterChef Junior season 3 premieres Tuesday, January 6, 2015, at 8pm on FOX.
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
