MasterChef Junior (2013) s03e06 Episode Script
Restaurant Takeover
This season the best aspiring young chefs in America - Oh, my gosh.
- Have battled it out in the greatest culinary classroom.
I'm really amazed to watch this happen.
Where they faced the most shocking challenges in MasterChef Junior history.
And now, only the six most talented junior home cooks remain.
- Do you think you can make it to the finale? - I'm winning this.
They come from all walks of life.
I'm from the real New Jersey.
I represent a taste of Little Italy.
One of the best pasta dishes I've ever tasted.
- With their own hopes - Yeah, Jimmy! I want to own a big, ginormous food empire.
And dreams.
When I grow up, I'm gonna be a food critic.
It's amazing.
When I grow up, I want to own my own restaurant.
When I grow up, I probably want to be a chef, but I'm just not sure.
I'm not even out of elementary school yet.
- But they all have one thing in common.
- Wow.
It's the best sushi we've ever had in this kitchen.
It looks gorgeous.
You kind of knocked it out of the park.
I could quite easily put them in my three Michelin star establishment.
They're that good.
Thank you so much.
- And tonight - Two covers, table 12, one octopus, one ravioli.
Yes, chef! The top six tackle the biggest challenge yet.
One octopus up.
But who will handle the heat of the kitchen? - Oh, fire! - We don't blow on a fire.
It feels so awesome to be in the top six.
Everyone's 11 and up now, so I think the competition's gonna get a bit more competitive.
Challenges are definitely getting harder, but I think I'm at the top of my game right now.
I'm 11 years old, and when I grow up, I want to be a chef or a soccer player.
If my soccer career doesn't work, I will open a cafe named Polka Dot Cafe.
I just really like polka dots.
They're just really cute.
Welcome, everyone.
You're the final top six in this competition.
However, only one of you will win all the money.
Only one of you will win the trophy.
And only one of you will win all of the glory that comes with being called America's next MasterChef Junior.
I want that trophy so bad.
The trophy is so cool.
It kind of looks like, like, a huge diamond.
It would just go so good with my room.
It would just be really beautiful.
The next challenge will be one of the most difficult things you've ever done in your young lives, and it won't happen here.
Your next challenge is The MasterChef restaurant takeover.
All of you are going to run the kitchen of a real restaurant, and it starts now.
Follow us, please.
Let's go.
I was born for restaurant takeover.
My dream in cooking is to have a Italian bistro or steakhouse, and I am, like, ready to go into that restaurant and show everybody that I'm not just all talk.
I am the best here.
We're walking down the streets of Los Angeles, and it's so awesome.
There's, like, all these fancy cars.
People all along the street are whispering, "Is that Gordon Ramsay? Is that Gordon Ramsay?" Morning.
How are we? - Congratulations.
- Yeah, it's Gordon Ramsay, and I'm part of his, like, crew.
No big deal, I'm just hanging with Gordon Ramsay.
Whatever.
Let's go.
Keep up, please.
Come on in.
Line up.
Excellent.
Welcome to Comme Ca, one of the finest restaurants in all of Los Angeles.
This is where you six young, talented home cooks will be in charge of running a real restaurant.
Now, this isn't just an ordinary lunch joint.
We're in the middle of Hollywood.
Today, just like every other day, this place will be packed with high rollers that have lunch reservations here.
You will face this challenge in two teams of three.
Each team will serve half of the guests in the restaurant.
The guests will not know that their chefs are kids from the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades.
It's very intimidating, because I don't really know anything about a French restaurant.
I definitely think this is gonna be the biggest and toughest challenge yet.
It's time to pick the teams.
Andrew and Jimmy, since you had the two best dishes in the last challenge, you will be the team captains for the MasterChef Junior restaurant takeover.
Come and take your captain's aprons.
These chefs are putting their reputations on the line to see how good we are.
So this is gonna be tough, because all of us are pretty good friends in this competition.
But I have to pick a team that can help me win this challenge.
Andrew, since you had the best dish in the previous challenge, you get to pick first.
So I'm gonna choose this person, because I believe this person is a very strong cook.
This person is also determined.
- Nathan.
- Nathan, wow.
I really wanted to be on Andrew's team, because I feel that Andrew has a lot more technical ability and culinary experience as well as the actual passion to cook.
Right.
Jimmy.
I'm hoping that Jimmy picks me on his team.
Andrew's been really nice to me.
Like, he even helped me during the salmon en croute challenge, but Jimmy's, like, the most talented person in this competition.
I've worked with this person before, and I know that she works very well in the kitchen.
- I'm picking Ayla.
- Wow.
Excellent.
Okay, Jimmy picks Ayla.
So, Andrew, this last pick picks for both teams.
I'm gonna pick this person because I think that she'll be a great addition to our strong team that we have coming along.
I will choose Jenna.
I'm a little nervous, but I trust that Andrew will do his best to support me in the kitchen.
Finger crossed.
So, Kayla, please come pick up your red apron.
Ayla and Jimmy are both great chefs, so I'm glad that I get to work with them.
The red team is amazing.
Now, one team will survive and move into the semi-finals.
The other team will be facing elimination.
All of you, let's go to the kitchen, where the executive chef is gonna give you the most amazing demo.
- Let's go.
- During today's service the six junior home cooks must prepare two appetizers: a Mediterranean octopus with Merguez sausage and a pea ravioli with heirloom carrots and a spiced Greek yogurt.
Then two entrees: Skate wing with capers and a brown butter sauce and a flat iron steak with herb butter and pomme aligot.
Come on in, guys.
Please, let's go.
Here we go.
Okay.
Allow me to introduce the executive chef of this amazing restaurant, Brian Howard, and he is here to demonstrate his signature dishes.
All right, chefs, we're gonna start off with the Mediterranean octopus.
First thing we're gonna do, we're gonna get our pan hot, okay? Add the Merguez sausage.
One tentacle of the octopus.
In this same pan, you can add your panisse, okay? Now, while that's getting its color, we're gonna start our plating, okay? We lay our stencil down on there, and then goes the charmoula sauce.
Just gonna spread a little bit on that.
We're gonna add our Fresno chilies.
Then you're gonna add our chickpeas just to warm them, and then deglaze with a little bit of lemon juice.
Okay, that acid is gonna really help brighten up the dish.
Then we're just gonna plate the dish.
Place the sausage down first.
The octopus goes on.
In one motion, all the chickpeas are down.
The octopus has so many components, and I'm nervous that we won't be able to pull it off.
And then we're gonna dress it with these parsley leaves.
- Beautiful.
- That looks great.
Okay, the next appetizer is gonna be the English pea ravioli.
We're just gonna make the ravioli with our English pea filling.
It's got mascarpone and lemon zest.
Then we just make a nice round with about an inch in between.
Then we're gonna take some egg wash and just brush right around so they seal when we roll over the exterior.
So we're gonna cut it.
Fold over the edges into the center, okay? So it's gonna go into the boiling water.
About how long estimated do you cook the pasta? For two to three minutes in the water.
All right, to finish the dish, here's a little bit of juiced carrot and our harissa yogurt.
It's gonna add a little bit of spice.
Okay, now we're gonna add your pasta right into the sauce.
- We just want to coat everything.
- Look at that, wow.
- All right? These dishes are pretty technical.
These chefs have been cooking these things forever, and just getting one demo to cook for everybody, it's really nerve-racking.
Now those amazing entrees.
We're gonna start with a flat iron steak.
First thing we're gonna do is season this.
Hold the pan away from you.
That way you don't splash any oil on you.
And when we're basting the steak, add some butter and really give it all that nice fat flavor, okay? To finish the dish, you put the potatoes into the pot.
Steak goes at the center of the plate.
Lovely.
Right, final entree.
Okay, for the skate wing, the fish is gonna go into the pan.
We're gonna add just a little bit of fat to it.
It's gonna start the sauce now.
So that butter is gonna help create that nice golden brown color.
So while that's finishing up, we're gonna plate the green beans, okay? So once you smell that aroma of the nuttiness is when you're gonna finish it and then come back with the garnish right over the top of the fish.
Okay? I think this is the true test.
All the other challenges before, they seem like nothing compared to this challenge.
Everybody's just gonna have to cook their butt off now.
I'm very, very worried.
Our reputations and this restaurant's reputation is on the line tonight.
We need you to succeed.
In today's challenge, the junior home cooks are taking over the kitchen of Comme Ca, where they must replicate a menu of four signature dishes for a sold-out lunch service.
Okay, guys.
You'll have one hour to prep all those difficult dishes.
You'll also be serving a VIP table where this restaurant's executive chefs will be tasting your dishes.
We will listen to their opinions, the diners' opinions, and ultimately, we will decide who wins this high stakes challenge, okay? Yes, Joe.
Okay, before we start service, who knows what an expediter is? They watch over so bad food doesn't go out.
Last line of defense.
Kayla, who do you think will be expediting tonight? - You.
- That's exactly that.
I'm a little bit scared of Gordon Ramsay expediting.
I think we're all gonna get yelled at so many times.
I'm not interested in how old you are.
I'll be treating you like professional chefs in my own kitchen.
- Got it? - Yes, chef! Your one hour Starts Now.
Get organized.
Both teams must quickly delegate responsibilities for today's service.
- What do you want to do? - I feel confident with the octopus.
Okay, do you want to do the ravioli, then? Yeah, I'll do the ravioli.
Then I'll plate everything for the appetizers.
Let's go.
One, two, three, red team! While Captain Jimmy has been diplomatic in starting the red team's prep, on the blue team, Captain Andrew has taken a more assertive approach.
What we're gonna do, start on prep, peel the potatoes.
Jenna, throw that octopus in the pressure cooker.
Nathan, you're gonna plate everything.
I'm gonna do the ravioli and the steak, okay? I'm the captain.
I run the team.
The team does not run me.
We have to get these dishes perfect for the judges.
And if we can't, then we are going home.
Let's go.
Let's go.
The dining room of Comme Ca is quickly filling up with VIP guests who have no idea that their dishes will be prepared by junior home cooks.
- Jimmy.
- Yes, chef.
What do you think your team has over the blue team? We're, like, a lot more in sync than they are.
I don't think we're gonna fight very much.
And I-I can already hear they're starting to get frazzled, so I think we're gonna be a lot more calm.
- Keep it up.
- Thank you, chef.
While the red team works in perfect harmony to complete service prep Captain Andrew's leadership style has the blue team on edge.
Jenna, that brown butter sauce is brown butter, not melted fat grease.
Andrew's a really strong chef, but he keeps yelling and yelling, which is, like, not helping me.
- I need to put this in the oven.
- Get it in the oven, then.
But we're still working out the kinks, I guess.
Put 'em down here; they're more important.
- Get that into a - There's no pot for it.
- There's no fish spatula.
- Garlic, behind, behind.
- Another few minutes.
- Another few minutes? - Excuse me, excuse me.
- Get it on the plate.
What am I supposed to do? There's no pot for the thing.
Going into the oven.
Behind you, the oven.
- Jenna.
- Quick, medic.
- Jenna, are you all right? - Are you okay? Did you get burned there? Yeah.
I hope that Jenna's okay.
This is definitely really stressful.
Everything's going wrong, and I don't have time for this.
But we have to start working as a team.
All right.
I'm gonna be okay.
I just need to calm down and push a little bit harder now.
- Jenna, are you okay? - I'm perfect.
- Good girl.
As the blue team scrambles to regroup in the kitchen Customers are placing orders with the expectation of a top-notch dining experience.
Right, red team, blue team, are we ready? - Yes, chef.
- Dining room is packed.
First ticket.
Let's go red team, two covers, table 12.
One octopus, one ravioli.
Yes, chef! Blue team, on order, two covers, table 5, one octopus, one ravioli, let's go.
Gordon starts yelling out the tickets, and he's calling it out like, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Blue team, on order, two covers, table 4.
One ravioli, one octopus.
Four covers, table 3, one octopus, three ravioli.
Don't stop working.
My head's about to explode.
This is just crazy.
- Come on, Kayla, speed up, please.
- Sorry, chef.
Just work with both hands.
Put the dish in front of you so you both work off it.
It's a little challenging working while Gordon's yelling.
He's, like, "Rrr.
" - Two panisses, perfectly cooked.
- Put them on right there.
- Accuracy, consistency, quality.
- Good job.
- One octopus up.
- Very nice.
Service please.
Even though it's really rough to start, the food is coming out really well.
I really pulled myself together and showed, you know what, I can do it.
Let's go.
While the blue team is having success completing the appetizers for their VIP customers, the red team is struggling to keep up Listen, we're dragging on the first tables on these appetizers right here.
- One ravioli.
- Yes, it's two ravioli, two octopus.
- I'm getting the second ravioli out.
- Is that the second ravioli in your hand? - Yes.
- Stop.
The same table, two raviolis, two octopus.
You give me one ravioli, and she said: "I'll get the second one now.
" I didn't know it was for one table, chef.
- You're not listening.
- Yes, chef.
- That's the problem.
I would like two octopus and two ravioli at the same time.
Okay.
Timing is a really big challenge for me.
I can keep track of time, but sometimes I get kind of slow with it, and I really don't want to make the customers wait that long.
Like you're building a car, an assembly line.
- Two ravioli, two octopus up.
- Perfect.
One and one next.
As the red team finally begins sending appetizers to their VIP guests Over on the blue team, Jenna is struggling with the chickpea panisse cakes.
- That is way too burnt.
Start again.
- All right.
- Come on.
.
Wow.
Oh, my gee.
I hate these panisse cakes.
Literally you have to count five seconds on each side to make sure that they don't burn.
Darn it! - All right, I got to redo it.
- Oh, my goodness me.
I left the station for one minute, and I came back, and they were burned again.
- I still can't get it right.
- Redo them, come on.
- I'll pre-sear some more.
- New pan, let's go, let's go.
Watch the cake.
Watch, watch, watch.
I'm trying.
As Jenna works to correct her chickpea panisse cakes The red team is having issues with their appetizer presentation.
- Two octopus up.
- No, it's not.
It's not up.
It looks like the plate's got a beard on there.
Jimmy.
- It's mad.
- I'm sorry.
- Come on, young man.
I'm trying to clean my station as much as I can, but there's tickets coming in, and I can't clean and serve at the same time.
It's really frustrating.
- Come on, Jimmy.
- Jimmy.
One octopus.
- What is this? - Oh, dang it.
I'm sorry, chef.
It's hard to Wipe down your bench so when your plates go down, underneath it's clean.
- You send to table, you clean down.
Okay, young man? - Okay, chef.
Honestly, it's like a pigsty over there.
While Jimmy tries to clean up his act and get the red team back in the game, Captain Andrew's blue team is still having a tough time working together.
Nathan, how long are you out on the next octopus? Nathan, how far are you out on it? - 30 seconds.
- 30 seconds out, heard.
- I'm so sorry.
- It's okay.
Don't worry about it.
This is all chaos.
Don't worry, Nathan.
I don't want excuses, come on.
I don't know why Andrew's yelling at us.
Usually, he's actually very nice.
But I think he wants to seem like a really important person in the kitchen.
He wants to try and almost imitate Gordon, but he's not necessarily doing a great job.
Come on, let's go, Jenna.
We have to get the food out.
I need food now.
Andrew! We don't blow on a fire.
- What did you do? - Come on, Andrew.
Listen, we have to get the food out.
I need food now.
Andrew! We don't blow on a fire.
- What did you do? - Come on, Andrew.
- Come here, you.
- Yes, chef? What is the matter with you? You're blowing on a fire.
Get outside in the car park and get some fresh air.
Yes, chef.
Apparently, the day Andrew learned that oxygen makes a flame bigger in science class, he was snoring away at his desk.
I need to regroup, so right now, I need to get back in that kitchen and show the judges that I can do this.
- Andrew, come here.
All three of you.
- Yes, chef.
- Stand here.
- Yes, chef.
Do you need to hand the captaincy over to this man? - No, I don't.
- There's a massive communication problem.
Start talking to each other.
We don't just scream.
- Because you're just trying to show off.
- Yes, chef.
- Is that clear? - Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
As the blue team pushes to finish the appetizer service on a high The red team is working well under the pressure of the professional kitchen.
- Two ravioli, two octopus up.
- Perfect.
Thank you very much.
We're in the groove, and we know exactly what to do.
Let's get the octopus down.
Get the chickpeas on.
I think we're staying under control a lot better than the blue team is.
So we're going good.
Pasta in pot.
Should be done in 2:42.
Okay.
As both teams hustle to complete the last few appetizer orders, the customers in the dining room are giving feedback on their dishes.
Hi, folks, just checking in.
How are those appetizers from the red team? - You enjoying the ravioli? - We really are, yeah.
- No, it's delicious.
- And the octopus? It's inked its way into my heart.
So that's a big thumbs up for the red team? - Oh, my gosh, yeah.
- Absolutely.
Okay, super.
Thank you.
Guys, keep going.
We're doing really good.
Hi, folks, just Oh, welcome to the clean plate club.
- It's very good.
- This is the blue team's octopus.
- Did you like it? - I loved it.
I thought the sauce, especially.
Do you think it's up to the level of a professional kitchen of a real restaurant? For this, I would say so.
Not for the ravioli.
- What's wrong with the ravioli? - It was a little raw and cold.
Ooh, that's too bad.
I'm sorry about this.
So, big thumbs up for the blue team octopus, thumbs down for the blue team ravioli.
Thank you.
While the customers continue to taste and critique their dishes, in the kitchen, both teams are racing to complete the final and most important order of the appetizer service.
Red team, blue team.
This is the executive chefs' VIP ticket.
- Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
I'm kind of scared, because the executive chef appetizers could be the difference between winning and losing.
- One on, one up.
- Well done.
Clear down, please.
Thank you.
Blue team.
Last table, let's go.
I'm waiting on the chickpea cake.
Jenna, it's burning.
- Jenna.
- I literally just put them on.
Oh, my goodness.
Jenna, it's burnt again.
That's the fifth time.
Jenna, you need to stop burning them.
We need different ones now.
- Blue team.
- Yes, chef? This is the executive chefs' VIP ticket, and we've run out of chickpea.
Can I have the octopus without the chickpea? The executive chefs are probably gonna feel really disrespected by us because we didn't have a panisse cake.
Things aren't looking good for the blue team.
Service please.
Go, go, go, go.
Table 20.
While the junior home cooks must regroup and prepare for entree service Comme Ca award-winning executive chefs, Danny Waked and Brian Howard, will taste and critique the appetizers from both teams.
Well, the blue team did a good job seasoning.
Pasta's cooked nicely.
Being 11 years old, making fresh pasta, you don't see that often.
Red team has good acid balance, good salt.
They did a good job.
Whoever was cooking this certainly tasted their food before they plated.
Next they sample the octopus appetizer from each team.
I got to say it looks, it looks good.
Octopus is cooked nicely.
The panisse is a nice golden brown on there.
- Unfortunately, I'm missing my panisse.
- Oh, is that right? The blue team left out the panisse.
They got a good crunch on it.
It's nice they cooked it well on the outside.
Blue team octopus is good.
It's cooked nicely.
It is missing a little bit of acid.
But the cooking is nice.
Thank you very much, chefs.
Back in the kitchen, the junior home cooks are ready to begin entree service.
Okay, let's go.
Red team, blue team, I want you now.
- Two skate, two steak, please.
- Yes, chef.
- Thank you.
I've never really made steak before.
I don't know when they're done.
I don't know if they're burnt.
So I'm really nervous about that.
Nathan, we should have five steaks rolling.
Keep basting, tilt it.
Then you're just gonna give it a bath.
- Okay.
- And is your next piece of fish ready? - I've got one ready.
- Go ahead and put it in.
Don't drop it like that.
Gentle.
Now let it cook.
Don't touch it.
- How long, Andrew? - Four minutes, chef.
- Let's go.
Jenna, if you need help, tell me.
I'll come over and help you when I'm done with the green beans.
I'd really appreciate that.
Thank you.
The way I was leading before obviously doesn't work.
So the new approach is to be a different leader and be nicer to my team.
It's now how you start, it's how you finish.
I have one skate up, guys.
Let's start plating.
These are ready for the steak.
There's a hot pan right there.
Be careful.
- We can do this, guys.
We can do it.
- Skate up.
- Steak up.
- Beautiful.
Good job with these, guys.
A new found sense of unity has the blue team off to a strong start.
Meanwhile the red team is, again, struggling to keep up with the pace of the kitchen.
Jimmy, I need the first table, please.
Let's go.
Kayla, Kayla, full attention.
We need to plate this.
- Come on, Jimmy, please.
- Two steak, two skate fish, chef.
Next table, two skate, two steak, yes? We're working on the next table right now, chef.
As team captain, I really have to stay on timing, so we really need to buckle down right now and get those dishes out.
- Red team.
Hello? - Yes, chef.
I've got raw skate.
- Who cooked that? - I did, chef.
And I got raw steak.
A good vet could bring that back to life.
- I'm sorry, chef.
- All three of you, why don't you just take your aprons off? This is a nightmare.
Why don't you just take your aprons off and stop now? Have you all given up? - Red team.
- Yes, chef.
I've got raw skate.
And I've got raw steak.
All three of you, why don't you just take your aprons off and stop now? - Have you all given up? - No, chef.
I am not taking off my apron.
My team is not taking off their aprons.
We're going to finish this strong as we can and we're going to win.
- Can we start again? - Yes.
- Yes, chef.
- Two steak and two skate.
- Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
All right, guys, let's not mess up this time.
We can do this.
As the red team rushes to redo their first order of entrees, the work rate of the blue team is overwhelming Jenna.
All I asked for, blue team, was just two skate and two steak.
- Where's the skate? - It's coming.
Jenna, we need to pull it together.
Watch your skate, Jenna.
Fire, fire, fire! Oh, darn it! What is going on there? Always use a towel.
When Jenna burns one of the skate wings, I get a little bit upset, because I know that we're behind on the order already, and she's gonna have to cook a whole new one.
I mean, come on, Jenna.
I think that's cooked.
Jenna's definitely a good friend of mine, so I don't want to be mad at her, but I feel like she could definitely drag our team down with it.
It's the first time I've ever seen skate that's turned into a piece of charcoal.
- I am so sorry.
- Refire, Jenna, refire.
- Don't let that get the better of you.
- Let's go, blue team.
While Jenna races to finish the skate wing and get the blue team back on track The red team is having a communication breakdown.
- Kayla, what are you doing? - I'm plating Jimmy's fish.
Have you thought about asking Ayla how long for the steak? - I mean - No.
- Why didn't you ask her, then? - I don't know, chef.
- Oh, Kayla.
Kayla's getting really flustered cooking in a professional kitchen.
She's just really quiet.
Red team, listen up.
Four covers, table 13, three skate, one steak.
- Yes, chef.
- Yes, Kayla? No answer.
Kayla, can you say anything? Or have you given up? - No.
No, no, young lady.
You haven't said anything.
- Yes, chef.
- Jimmy, you're the captain.
- It's just silent in there.
- I'm sorry, chef.
It's kind of worrying me that no one seems to be talking in the kitchen.
As team captain, I need to make sure that we have really good communication.
Okay, guys, talk as much as you can.
Kayla, just tell me if you need help, okay? While Jimmy attempts to get the red team back on the same page by being more vocal Captain Andrew is finding it hard to keep up with the rest of the blue team.
- One plate of steak up.
- Jenna, I'm dragging.
There's the steak.
I need the skate.
Andrew, I need green beans.
I'm cooking 'em, Jenna.
Jenna, are you ready with the skate, and he's not ready with the beans? - Yeah.
- Unbelievable.
Jenna, can I have the skate without the beans? I'm gonna send it.
He can send these beans after.
Tell the customer I'm sorry.
Go, please.
Sorry about the green beans.
Blue team on order, three steak, one skate.
And can you tell your captain that you want the beans and the potatoes at the same time? - Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
- Andrew.
- Dude, I know you're plating.
- Potatoes need more time.
- Come on, Andrew.
Andrew's getting everything done in an extremely slow manner.
All my steaks are done, and at this point, we're hoping we get anything on the plates.
I need the three steaks, Nathan, please, now.
- Service, please.
- No potatoes, chef.
- Come on, Andrew.
- Oh, my god.
Doing the lunch rush at a professional restaurant is really crazy hectic, and it's really difficult to keep up, but I have no excuse.
I know I have to keep my composure.
I'm the leader, so if I lose, I'm going home.
Captain goes down with the ship.
- Potatoes, chef.
- Service, please.
As Andrew scrambles to keep pace with the rest of his team Out in the dining room, customers are beginning to critique the entrees.
Hi, folks, just wanted to check on your entrees.
- How's the fish? - Beautiful.
- Beautiful.
You enjoyed it? - Seasoned properly? - Yeah.
So the red team fish is good.
How about the red team steak? The steak is a little undercooked, but the potatoes are amazing.
- Look like rare, right? You ordered medium rare.
- Yeah.
- Sorry about that.
- No, it's fine.
- Enjoy the rest of your meal.
- Thank you.
Oh, you got your entrees.
Sorry about the wait.
How is it? You have your first taste? - First taste is a little salty.
- Salty, ooh.
Blue team skate was a little salty.
How's the steak? - Absolutely the best.
- Blue team steak, thumbs up.
Okay, sorry about the salty.
I'll let 'em know.
- Get some green beans on two plates.
- Two plates heard.
While the feedback for both teams' entrees is mixed, some of the red team's customers are growing impatient with the long wait for their food.
Don't stop working, guys.
We're definitely running late on some tables out there, guys.
I got table 2 that's gonna walk out.
They've been waiting too long.
Come on, Jimmy, please.
Come on, come on.
Kayla, come on.
When I eat at restaurants, I'm not gonna complain to people anymore that their food is coming out slowly, because ours was coming out a little slow.
Red team, listen up.
Customers are walking out.
Oh, my god, this is terrible.
Someone walking out could definitely be a deal breaker.
This could be the end.
Absolute baloney.
Customers are literally walking out.
Red team, listen up.
Customers are literally walking out.
- Unbelievable.
- Push it, guys.
Let's go.
This is like do or die time.
It, like, feels really terrible to know that a table walked out on us because it took too long.
- We need to get this food out.
- Jimmy.
- Okay, okay.
- Three steak, one skate followed by three skate, one steak.
- Yes, chef.
- Can you repeat it, chef.
It's three steak, one skate followed by one steak, three skate.
As team captain, it is now my time to step up to the plate and rally our team, and we will finish strong.
Okay, that's enough sauce.
Where's the steak? - Right here.
- Well done, darling.
Good.
- Service, please.
- Good, good, good, good, good.
Blue team.
Red team, listen up.
Last ticket.
This is the VIP ticket.
- One skate wing, one steak.
- Yes, chef.
- Coming up, chef.
Last table, guys.
Come on, let's go.
The competition is so close.
We had this last plate going out, and that last plate is a VIP plate, and it needs to taste good, because I'm really worried about just going home.
- Skate up.
- Come on, Nathan, please.
- Plate of steak up.
- Service please.
- Blue team, well done.
- Thank you, chef.
Start plating, Jimmy, please.
Finish strong.
- Steak, chef.
- Last plate, red team, let's go.
- It's right here.
- Red team, well done.
- Thank you, chef.
- Service please.
All of you, clean up.
I'm 11, but I feel like I've aged a couple of years.
I've never had this much stress ever.
The restaurant takeover was really, really hard.
But also, I feel confident.
I feel like my team and I, we did the best that we could.
- I think we did a good job.
- I think we got it.
We did it.
There were some bumps along the way.
I think the blue team could pull it off, because we were actually communicating, compared to the red team, who wasn't communicating at all.
Hug, group hug, group hug.
It's okay, no matter what happens.
With service completed for both teams, the executive chefs evaluate their entrees.
Can't wait to taste this blue team skate.
Looks beautiful.
- Very nice.
- How's it taste, chef? - That's good.
Crispy.
How's the red team skate look, chef? The red team skate's actually raw.
I'm gonna have to pass on this dish.
This here is just, like I mean, you can see it's still red inside.
They missed the mark.
Okay, chef.
Finally we have the steak of the red team And that of the blue team.
Looks beautiful.
Here we go.
This is the big reveal here.
- What you got? - Little rare on mine.
- Yours is definitely cooked nicer.
- Yeah, a little bit.
Evenly cooked on both sides.
Still have a nice red center.
I think the red team did a better job in searing their steak today.
Definitely.
I agree.
The blue team definitely followed my advice by heavily seasoning the exterior of the steak, because it is seasoned well, and the potatoes taste great.
Red team did a great job.
I like the crust.
I think all in all, they did a good job in seasoning it.
Thank you, thank you.
With the executive chefs' tastings complete, the guests in the dining room, who still have no idea that their food was prepared by junior home cooks, are filling out their comment cards.
The winner of today's challenge will be decided by the judges based on feedback from the customers, the executive chefs, and the team's overall performance in the kitchen.
The winning team will move on to the semi-finals while the losing team will see at least two junior home cooks go home.
First of all, thank you so much for your patience today.
Trust me, behind that wall, some of the most talented amateur cooks across this country battled it out for victory.
Would you like to meet the home cooks who made your lunch today? Yes, please.
Please let's welcome our chefs.
We go out, and the guests were shocked, like, that we're kids.
So it was really an honor serving customers in a high end restaurant.
Here they are.
Our amazing, young, talented chefs.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is MasterChef Junior.
Sorry some of the food took a little bit long to get out.
Thank you, Kayla.
Real quick, are there any questions out there for these young home cooks? - Right here.
- Okay, so, one word.
What was it like being in a professional kitchen with Gordon Ramsay? - One word? I have a bazillion.
- One.
Scary.
- Nathan.
- Horrifying.
- Horrifying.
- Stressful.
- Stressful, really? - Nightmare.
- Nightmare.
Ladies and gentlemen, MasterChef Junior is a competition.
Two teams battled fiercely today, but just one team can win And be safe from elimination.
The team that will be safe Will be Deciding that back in the MasterChef kitchen.
- Oh, seriously? - Joe, Graham, and myself need all night to contemplate, get all your feedback, and literally think this one out, because it is a very close call.
Red team, blue team, let's head back to the MasterChef kitchen.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much.
I definitely think we have a shot at winning this, because we weren't as frazzled as the blue team, and we didn't fight at all.
Even though we argued, I think our food was good quality, and I think the blue team is gonna win this one.
I really, really do.
Come on down, guys.
I think blue team may not win because of lack of communication, but even though we had some rough bumps in this challenge, I think the food was good enough to catapult us right into the semi-final.
As crazy as it was in the kitchen, I think my team did do enough to win.
We have more pros than cons.
The blue team had a lot of fires, so I feel confident.
You all just did an amazing job in the restaurant takeover.
You did better than a lot of our adult home cooks.
We are so proud of you and know how hard it was in that kitchen.
Andrew, how do you think it went for the blue team? We had some rough bumps in the middle of service, but I think that we pulled it out.
Jimmy, how did it go for you and the red team? I think we definitely shined in appetizers more than entrees, but I still think we did a really good job.
Unfortunately, in this challenge, there can only be one winning team.
Blue team.
You guys got off to a pretty dreadful start.
Nobody had that team spirit, and I know it may sound ironic coming from me, but being a strong leader isn't just about shouting, Andrew.
Sometimes you need to be calmly assertive and understand when your team's not responding to shouting, then you need to readjust.
Jenna, you seemed a little bit frazzled from the off.
Nathan, I felt that you could've come out of your comfort zone a little bit more and sort of opened up.
Slow start but a strong finish.
You stuck together as a team, so well done.
Red team.
You were definitely much more calm than the blue team.
No two ways about that.
But I felt, at times, there was three individuals somewhat disconnected.
You know, Jimmy, I've never seen so many dirty plates.
Ayla, I struggled with you because even calling out a two-top or a four-top, you were cooking one portion at a time.
And, Kayla, I didn't see you perform that much.
I felt that you weren't in the game.
But you guys did, overall, a decent job.
We listened to every guest.
We watched every plate.
And we saw how you worked across those 90 minutes.
One team, overall, did slightly better.
Please, judges, choose the blue team.
The winning team Please be red, please be red.
Who will be safe from elimination tonight Is The blue team.
- Oh, my god.
- Well done.
Red team, I'm sorry to say all three of you were on the losing side of that culinary battle, perhaps one of the most difficult challenges ever in this competition.
Blue team.
You're through to the semi-final.
Head up to the balcony.
Good job.
I am pumped.
I feel amazing that the blue team won.
You know, I led my team to victory, and that just feels great.
But then I look down, and I see Jimmy, Ayla, and Kayla, and I'm thinking: "Well, tonight, some talented home cooks are gonna be going home.
" And it's really sad.
Red team, please don't be too disheartened.
It was incredibly close.
There is some good news.
We're not gonna send you all home.
One of you will be saved.
I don't want to go home, but if I stay in, then my two best friends in the competition are going home.
It's definitely really stressful.
The young home cook That we are saving Is Jimmy.
Every detail was examined, and the three of us all agreed that you were performing at a level higher than everyone else.
- Well done, Jimmy.
- Thank you.
Go ahead and say bye and then head up to the balcony.
Bye, Jimmy.
It feels really good to be going on to the semi-finals, because I still have a lot more to accomplish in this competition.
But my two best friends are going home, so that's kind of sad, because I don't want anyone to go home.
Good job, man.
Kayla, Ayla, you both have delighted all three of us with some incredible dishes across this journey.
Continue cooking with your head up high.
Seriously, both of you well done.
Come and say good-bye.
Well done.
Come here, you.
Oh dear, good job.
Well done, well done.
Bye, darling.
I'm really proud of myself for being able to cook for Chef Ramsay and all the chefs.
Visually, it looks absolutely stunning.
Love the roll.
Roll looks fantastic.
This perhaps has to be the platter of the night.
Awesome.
I am very excited to inspire other kids to cook, because not only cooking is just fun, but it also brings your family together, so being on this show was one of the best things in my whole entire life.
Now, up there on the balcony, you know those four.
- Who's gonna win? - Jimmy.
Jimmy.
Fascinating.
Ayla? I would have to say Nathan.
Nathan.
Ladies, thank you so much.
- Thanks, guys.
Great job.
- Good night.
I feel really proud of myself that I made it to the top six out of thousands of kids.
Your apple turnover is crispy, light.
Your creme Anglaise is perfection.
- This is quite a triumphant dish.
- Thank you.
I felt like every challenge, I got stronger, so I'm gonna go home with a lot of knowledge and skill.
More than I had before.
And I made some life-long friends here.
This whole experience has been awesome.
- Good night, ladies.
- Bye.
Next week Who loves raspberries? The final four battle for a place in the ultimate culinary showdown Ready to light things up? But only the two hottest young home cooks will fire themselves into the finale.
I was born to be here.
I was born to do this.
To compete for 100,000 dollars.
I want that prize.
And I'm here to take it home.
And the title of MasterChef Junior.
Right now you have one foot in the finale.
- Have battled it out in the greatest culinary classroom.
I'm really amazed to watch this happen.
Where they faced the most shocking challenges in MasterChef Junior history.
And now, only the six most talented junior home cooks remain.
- Do you think you can make it to the finale? - I'm winning this.
They come from all walks of life.
I'm from the real New Jersey.
I represent a taste of Little Italy.
One of the best pasta dishes I've ever tasted.
- With their own hopes - Yeah, Jimmy! I want to own a big, ginormous food empire.
And dreams.
When I grow up, I'm gonna be a food critic.
It's amazing.
When I grow up, I want to own my own restaurant.
When I grow up, I probably want to be a chef, but I'm just not sure.
I'm not even out of elementary school yet.
- But they all have one thing in common.
- Wow.
It's the best sushi we've ever had in this kitchen.
It looks gorgeous.
You kind of knocked it out of the park.
I could quite easily put them in my three Michelin star establishment.
They're that good.
Thank you so much.
- And tonight - Two covers, table 12, one octopus, one ravioli.
Yes, chef! The top six tackle the biggest challenge yet.
One octopus up.
But who will handle the heat of the kitchen? - Oh, fire! - We don't blow on a fire.
It feels so awesome to be in the top six.
Everyone's 11 and up now, so I think the competition's gonna get a bit more competitive.
Challenges are definitely getting harder, but I think I'm at the top of my game right now.
I'm 11 years old, and when I grow up, I want to be a chef or a soccer player.
If my soccer career doesn't work, I will open a cafe named Polka Dot Cafe.
I just really like polka dots.
They're just really cute.
Welcome, everyone.
You're the final top six in this competition.
However, only one of you will win all the money.
Only one of you will win the trophy.
And only one of you will win all of the glory that comes with being called America's next MasterChef Junior.
I want that trophy so bad.
The trophy is so cool.
It kind of looks like, like, a huge diamond.
It would just go so good with my room.
It would just be really beautiful.
The next challenge will be one of the most difficult things you've ever done in your young lives, and it won't happen here.
Your next challenge is The MasterChef restaurant takeover.
All of you are going to run the kitchen of a real restaurant, and it starts now.
Follow us, please.
Let's go.
I was born for restaurant takeover.
My dream in cooking is to have a Italian bistro or steakhouse, and I am, like, ready to go into that restaurant and show everybody that I'm not just all talk.
I am the best here.
We're walking down the streets of Los Angeles, and it's so awesome.
There's, like, all these fancy cars.
People all along the street are whispering, "Is that Gordon Ramsay? Is that Gordon Ramsay?" Morning.
How are we? - Congratulations.
- Yeah, it's Gordon Ramsay, and I'm part of his, like, crew.
No big deal, I'm just hanging with Gordon Ramsay.
Whatever.
Let's go.
Keep up, please.
Come on in.
Line up.
Excellent.
Welcome to Comme Ca, one of the finest restaurants in all of Los Angeles.
This is where you six young, talented home cooks will be in charge of running a real restaurant.
Now, this isn't just an ordinary lunch joint.
We're in the middle of Hollywood.
Today, just like every other day, this place will be packed with high rollers that have lunch reservations here.
You will face this challenge in two teams of three.
Each team will serve half of the guests in the restaurant.
The guests will not know that their chefs are kids from the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades.
It's very intimidating, because I don't really know anything about a French restaurant.
I definitely think this is gonna be the biggest and toughest challenge yet.
It's time to pick the teams.
Andrew and Jimmy, since you had the two best dishes in the last challenge, you will be the team captains for the MasterChef Junior restaurant takeover.
Come and take your captain's aprons.
These chefs are putting their reputations on the line to see how good we are.
So this is gonna be tough, because all of us are pretty good friends in this competition.
But I have to pick a team that can help me win this challenge.
Andrew, since you had the best dish in the previous challenge, you get to pick first.
So I'm gonna choose this person, because I believe this person is a very strong cook.
This person is also determined.
- Nathan.
- Nathan, wow.
I really wanted to be on Andrew's team, because I feel that Andrew has a lot more technical ability and culinary experience as well as the actual passion to cook.
Right.
Jimmy.
I'm hoping that Jimmy picks me on his team.
Andrew's been really nice to me.
Like, he even helped me during the salmon en croute challenge, but Jimmy's, like, the most talented person in this competition.
I've worked with this person before, and I know that she works very well in the kitchen.
- I'm picking Ayla.
- Wow.
Excellent.
Okay, Jimmy picks Ayla.
So, Andrew, this last pick picks for both teams.
I'm gonna pick this person because I think that she'll be a great addition to our strong team that we have coming along.
I will choose Jenna.
I'm a little nervous, but I trust that Andrew will do his best to support me in the kitchen.
Finger crossed.
So, Kayla, please come pick up your red apron.
Ayla and Jimmy are both great chefs, so I'm glad that I get to work with them.
The red team is amazing.
Now, one team will survive and move into the semi-finals.
The other team will be facing elimination.
All of you, let's go to the kitchen, where the executive chef is gonna give you the most amazing demo.
- Let's go.
- During today's service the six junior home cooks must prepare two appetizers: a Mediterranean octopus with Merguez sausage and a pea ravioli with heirloom carrots and a spiced Greek yogurt.
Then two entrees: Skate wing with capers and a brown butter sauce and a flat iron steak with herb butter and pomme aligot.
Come on in, guys.
Please, let's go.
Here we go.
Okay.
Allow me to introduce the executive chef of this amazing restaurant, Brian Howard, and he is here to demonstrate his signature dishes.
All right, chefs, we're gonna start off with the Mediterranean octopus.
First thing we're gonna do, we're gonna get our pan hot, okay? Add the Merguez sausage.
One tentacle of the octopus.
In this same pan, you can add your panisse, okay? Now, while that's getting its color, we're gonna start our plating, okay? We lay our stencil down on there, and then goes the charmoula sauce.
Just gonna spread a little bit on that.
We're gonna add our Fresno chilies.
Then you're gonna add our chickpeas just to warm them, and then deglaze with a little bit of lemon juice.
Okay, that acid is gonna really help brighten up the dish.
Then we're just gonna plate the dish.
Place the sausage down first.
The octopus goes on.
In one motion, all the chickpeas are down.
The octopus has so many components, and I'm nervous that we won't be able to pull it off.
And then we're gonna dress it with these parsley leaves.
- Beautiful.
- That looks great.
Okay, the next appetizer is gonna be the English pea ravioli.
We're just gonna make the ravioli with our English pea filling.
It's got mascarpone and lemon zest.
Then we just make a nice round with about an inch in between.
Then we're gonna take some egg wash and just brush right around so they seal when we roll over the exterior.
So we're gonna cut it.
Fold over the edges into the center, okay? So it's gonna go into the boiling water.
About how long estimated do you cook the pasta? For two to three minutes in the water.
All right, to finish the dish, here's a little bit of juiced carrot and our harissa yogurt.
It's gonna add a little bit of spice.
Okay, now we're gonna add your pasta right into the sauce.
- We just want to coat everything.
- Look at that, wow.
- All right? These dishes are pretty technical.
These chefs have been cooking these things forever, and just getting one demo to cook for everybody, it's really nerve-racking.
Now those amazing entrees.
We're gonna start with a flat iron steak.
First thing we're gonna do is season this.
Hold the pan away from you.
That way you don't splash any oil on you.
And when we're basting the steak, add some butter and really give it all that nice fat flavor, okay? To finish the dish, you put the potatoes into the pot.
Steak goes at the center of the plate.
Lovely.
Right, final entree.
Okay, for the skate wing, the fish is gonna go into the pan.
We're gonna add just a little bit of fat to it.
It's gonna start the sauce now.
So that butter is gonna help create that nice golden brown color.
So while that's finishing up, we're gonna plate the green beans, okay? So once you smell that aroma of the nuttiness is when you're gonna finish it and then come back with the garnish right over the top of the fish.
Okay? I think this is the true test.
All the other challenges before, they seem like nothing compared to this challenge.
Everybody's just gonna have to cook their butt off now.
I'm very, very worried.
Our reputations and this restaurant's reputation is on the line tonight.
We need you to succeed.
In today's challenge, the junior home cooks are taking over the kitchen of Comme Ca, where they must replicate a menu of four signature dishes for a sold-out lunch service.
Okay, guys.
You'll have one hour to prep all those difficult dishes.
You'll also be serving a VIP table where this restaurant's executive chefs will be tasting your dishes.
We will listen to their opinions, the diners' opinions, and ultimately, we will decide who wins this high stakes challenge, okay? Yes, Joe.
Okay, before we start service, who knows what an expediter is? They watch over so bad food doesn't go out.
Last line of defense.
Kayla, who do you think will be expediting tonight? - You.
- That's exactly that.
I'm a little bit scared of Gordon Ramsay expediting.
I think we're all gonna get yelled at so many times.
I'm not interested in how old you are.
I'll be treating you like professional chefs in my own kitchen.
- Got it? - Yes, chef! Your one hour Starts Now.
Get organized.
Both teams must quickly delegate responsibilities for today's service.
- What do you want to do? - I feel confident with the octopus.
Okay, do you want to do the ravioli, then? Yeah, I'll do the ravioli.
Then I'll plate everything for the appetizers.
Let's go.
One, two, three, red team! While Captain Jimmy has been diplomatic in starting the red team's prep, on the blue team, Captain Andrew has taken a more assertive approach.
What we're gonna do, start on prep, peel the potatoes.
Jenna, throw that octopus in the pressure cooker.
Nathan, you're gonna plate everything.
I'm gonna do the ravioli and the steak, okay? I'm the captain.
I run the team.
The team does not run me.
We have to get these dishes perfect for the judges.
And if we can't, then we are going home.
Let's go.
Let's go.
The dining room of Comme Ca is quickly filling up with VIP guests who have no idea that their dishes will be prepared by junior home cooks.
- Jimmy.
- Yes, chef.
What do you think your team has over the blue team? We're, like, a lot more in sync than they are.
I don't think we're gonna fight very much.
And I-I can already hear they're starting to get frazzled, so I think we're gonna be a lot more calm.
- Keep it up.
- Thank you, chef.
While the red team works in perfect harmony to complete service prep Captain Andrew's leadership style has the blue team on edge.
Jenna, that brown butter sauce is brown butter, not melted fat grease.
Andrew's a really strong chef, but he keeps yelling and yelling, which is, like, not helping me.
- I need to put this in the oven.
- Get it in the oven, then.
But we're still working out the kinks, I guess.
Put 'em down here; they're more important.
- Get that into a - There's no pot for it.
- There's no fish spatula.
- Garlic, behind, behind.
- Another few minutes.
- Another few minutes? - Excuse me, excuse me.
- Get it on the plate.
What am I supposed to do? There's no pot for the thing.
Going into the oven.
Behind you, the oven.
- Jenna.
- Quick, medic.
- Jenna, are you all right? - Are you okay? Did you get burned there? Yeah.
I hope that Jenna's okay.
This is definitely really stressful.
Everything's going wrong, and I don't have time for this.
But we have to start working as a team.
All right.
I'm gonna be okay.
I just need to calm down and push a little bit harder now.
- Jenna, are you okay? - I'm perfect.
- Good girl.
As the blue team scrambles to regroup in the kitchen Customers are placing orders with the expectation of a top-notch dining experience.
Right, red team, blue team, are we ready? - Yes, chef.
- Dining room is packed.
First ticket.
Let's go red team, two covers, table 12.
One octopus, one ravioli.
Yes, chef! Blue team, on order, two covers, table 5, one octopus, one ravioli, let's go.
Gordon starts yelling out the tickets, and he's calling it out like, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Blue team, on order, two covers, table 4.
One ravioli, one octopus.
Four covers, table 3, one octopus, three ravioli.
Don't stop working.
My head's about to explode.
This is just crazy.
- Come on, Kayla, speed up, please.
- Sorry, chef.
Just work with both hands.
Put the dish in front of you so you both work off it.
It's a little challenging working while Gordon's yelling.
He's, like, "Rrr.
" - Two panisses, perfectly cooked.
- Put them on right there.
- Accuracy, consistency, quality.
- Good job.
- One octopus up.
- Very nice.
Service please.
Even though it's really rough to start, the food is coming out really well.
I really pulled myself together and showed, you know what, I can do it.
Let's go.
While the blue team is having success completing the appetizers for their VIP customers, the red team is struggling to keep up Listen, we're dragging on the first tables on these appetizers right here.
- One ravioli.
- Yes, it's two ravioli, two octopus.
- I'm getting the second ravioli out.
- Is that the second ravioli in your hand? - Yes.
- Stop.
The same table, two raviolis, two octopus.
You give me one ravioli, and she said: "I'll get the second one now.
" I didn't know it was for one table, chef.
- You're not listening.
- Yes, chef.
- That's the problem.
I would like two octopus and two ravioli at the same time.
Okay.
Timing is a really big challenge for me.
I can keep track of time, but sometimes I get kind of slow with it, and I really don't want to make the customers wait that long.
Like you're building a car, an assembly line.
- Two ravioli, two octopus up.
- Perfect.
One and one next.
As the red team finally begins sending appetizers to their VIP guests Over on the blue team, Jenna is struggling with the chickpea panisse cakes.
- That is way too burnt.
Start again.
- All right.
- Come on.
.
Wow.
Oh, my gee.
I hate these panisse cakes.
Literally you have to count five seconds on each side to make sure that they don't burn.
Darn it! - All right, I got to redo it.
- Oh, my goodness me.
I left the station for one minute, and I came back, and they were burned again.
- I still can't get it right.
- Redo them, come on.
- I'll pre-sear some more.
- New pan, let's go, let's go.
Watch the cake.
Watch, watch, watch.
I'm trying.
As Jenna works to correct her chickpea panisse cakes The red team is having issues with their appetizer presentation.
- Two octopus up.
- No, it's not.
It's not up.
It looks like the plate's got a beard on there.
Jimmy.
- It's mad.
- I'm sorry.
- Come on, young man.
I'm trying to clean my station as much as I can, but there's tickets coming in, and I can't clean and serve at the same time.
It's really frustrating.
- Come on, Jimmy.
- Jimmy.
One octopus.
- What is this? - Oh, dang it.
I'm sorry, chef.
It's hard to Wipe down your bench so when your plates go down, underneath it's clean.
- You send to table, you clean down.
Okay, young man? - Okay, chef.
Honestly, it's like a pigsty over there.
While Jimmy tries to clean up his act and get the red team back in the game, Captain Andrew's blue team is still having a tough time working together.
Nathan, how long are you out on the next octopus? Nathan, how far are you out on it? - 30 seconds.
- 30 seconds out, heard.
- I'm so sorry.
- It's okay.
Don't worry about it.
This is all chaos.
Don't worry, Nathan.
I don't want excuses, come on.
I don't know why Andrew's yelling at us.
Usually, he's actually very nice.
But I think he wants to seem like a really important person in the kitchen.
He wants to try and almost imitate Gordon, but he's not necessarily doing a great job.
Come on, let's go, Jenna.
We have to get the food out.
I need food now.
Andrew! We don't blow on a fire.
- What did you do? - Come on, Andrew.
Listen, we have to get the food out.
I need food now.
Andrew! We don't blow on a fire.
- What did you do? - Come on, Andrew.
- Come here, you.
- Yes, chef? What is the matter with you? You're blowing on a fire.
Get outside in the car park and get some fresh air.
Yes, chef.
Apparently, the day Andrew learned that oxygen makes a flame bigger in science class, he was snoring away at his desk.
I need to regroup, so right now, I need to get back in that kitchen and show the judges that I can do this.
- Andrew, come here.
All three of you.
- Yes, chef.
- Stand here.
- Yes, chef.
Do you need to hand the captaincy over to this man? - No, I don't.
- There's a massive communication problem.
Start talking to each other.
We don't just scream.
- Because you're just trying to show off.
- Yes, chef.
- Is that clear? - Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
As the blue team pushes to finish the appetizer service on a high The red team is working well under the pressure of the professional kitchen.
- Two ravioli, two octopus up.
- Perfect.
Thank you very much.
We're in the groove, and we know exactly what to do.
Let's get the octopus down.
Get the chickpeas on.
I think we're staying under control a lot better than the blue team is.
So we're going good.
Pasta in pot.
Should be done in 2:42.
Okay.
As both teams hustle to complete the last few appetizer orders, the customers in the dining room are giving feedback on their dishes.
Hi, folks, just checking in.
How are those appetizers from the red team? - You enjoying the ravioli? - We really are, yeah.
- No, it's delicious.
- And the octopus? It's inked its way into my heart.
So that's a big thumbs up for the red team? - Oh, my gosh, yeah.
- Absolutely.
Okay, super.
Thank you.
Guys, keep going.
We're doing really good.
Hi, folks, just Oh, welcome to the clean plate club.
- It's very good.
- This is the blue team's octopus.
- Did you like it? - I loved it.
I thought the sauce, especially.
Do you think it's up to the level of a professional kitchen of a real restaurant? For this, I would say so.
Not for the ravioli.
- What's wrong with the ravioli? - It was a little raw and cold.
Ooh, that's too bad.
I'm sorry about this.
So, big thumbs up for the blue team octopus, thumbs down for the blue team ravioli.
Thank you.
While the customers continue to taste and critique their dishes, in the kitchen, both teams are racing to complete the final and most important order of the appetizer service.
Red team, blue team.
This is the executive chefs' VIP ticket.
- Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
I'm kind of scared, because the executive chef appetizers could be the difference between winning and losing.
- One on, one up.
- Well done.
Clear down, please.
Thank you.
Blue team.
Last table, let's go.
I'm waiting on the chickpea cake.
Jenna, it's burning.
- Jenna.
- I literally just put them on.
Oh, my goodness.
Jenna, it's burnt again.
That's the fifth time.
Jenna, you need to stop burning them.
We need different ones now.
- Blue team.
- Yes, chef? This is the executive chefs' VIP ticket, and we've run out of chickpea.
Can I have the octopus without the chickpea? The executive chefs are probably gonna feel really disrespected by us because we didn't have a panisse cake.
Things aren't looking good for the blue team.
Service please.
Go, go, go, go.
Table 20.
While the junior home cooks must regroup and prepare for entree service Comme Ca award-winning executive chefs, Danny Waked and Brian Howard, will taste and critique the appetizers from both teams.
Well, the blue team did a good job seasoning.
Pasta's cooked nicely.
Being 11 years old, making fresh pasta, you don't see that often.
Red team has good acid balance, good salt.
They did a good job.
Whoever was cooking this certainly tasted their food before they plated.
Next they sample the octopus appetizer from each team.
I got to say it looks, it looks good.
Octopus is cooked nicely.
The panisse is a nice golden brown on there.
- Unfortunately, I'm missing my panisse.
- Oh, is that right? The blue team left out the panisse.
They got a good crunch on it.
It's nice they cooked it well on the outside.
Blue team octopus is good.
It's cooked nicely.
It is missing a little bit of acid.
But the cooking is nice.
Thank you very much, chefs.
Back in the kitchen, the junior home cooks are ready to begin entree service.
Okay, let's go.
Red team, blue team, I want you now.
- Two skate, two steak, please.
- Yes, chef.
- Thank you.
I've never really made steak before.
I don't know when they're done.
I don't know if they're burnt.
So I'm really nervous about that.
Nathan, we should have five steaks rolling.
Keep basting, tilt it.
Then you're just gonna give it a bath.
- Okay.
- And is your next piece of fish ready? - I've got one ready.
- Go ahead and put it in.
Don't drop it like that.
Gentle.
Now let it cook.
Don't touch it.
- How long, Andrew? - Four minutes, chef.
- Let's go.
Jenna, if you need help, tell me.
I'll come over and help you when I'm done with the green beans.
I'd really appreciate that.
Thank you.
The way I was leading before obviously doesn't work.
So the new approach is to be a different leader and be nicer to my team.
It's now how you start, it's how you finish.
I have one skate up, guys.
Let's start plating.
These are ready for the steak.
There's a hot pan right there.
Be careful.
- We can do this, guys.
We can do it.
- Skate up.
- Steak up.
- Beautiful.
Good job with these, guys.
A new found sense of unity has the blue team off to a strong start.
Meanwhile the red team is, again, struggling to keep up with the pace of the kitchen.
Jimmy, I need the first table, please.
Let's go.
Kayla, Kayla, full attention.
We need to plate this.
- Come on, Jimmy, please.
- Two steak, two skate fish, chef.
Next table, two skate, two steak, yes? We're working on the next table right now, chef.
As team captain, I really have to stay on timing, so we really need to buckle down right now and get those dishes out.
- Red team.
Hello? - Yes, chef.
I've got raw skate.
- Who cooked that? - I did, chef.
And I got raw steak.
A good vet could bring that back to life.
- I'm sorry, chef.
- All three of you, why don't you just take your aprons off? This is a nightmare.
Why don't you just take your aprons off and stop now? Have you all given up? - Red team.
- Yes, chef.
I've got raw skate.
And I've got raw steak.
All three of you, why don't you just take your aprons off and stop now? - Have you all given up? - No, chef.
I am not taking off my apron.
My team is not taking off their aprons.
We're going to finish this strong as we can and we're going to win.
- Can we start again? - Yes.
- Yes, chef.
- Two steak and two skate.
- Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
All right, guys, let's not mess up this time.
We can do this.
As the red team rushes to redo their first order of entrees, the work rate of the blue team is overwhelming Jenna.
All I asked for, blue team, was just two skate and two steak.
- Where's the skate? - It's coming.
Jenna, we need to pull it together.
Watch your skate, Jenna.
Fire, fire, fire! Oh, darn it! What is going on there? Always use a towel.
When Jenna burns one of the skate wings, I get a little bit upset, because I know that we're behind on the order already, and she's gonna have to cook a whole new one.
I mean, come on, Jenna.
I think that's cooked.
Jenna's definitely a good friend of mine, so I don't want to be mad at her, but I feel like she could definitely drag our team down with it.
It's the first time I've ever seen skate that's turned into a piece of charcoal.
- I am so sorry.
- Refire, Jenna, refire.
- Don't let that get the better of you.
- Let's go, blue team.
While Jenna races to finish the skate wing and get the blue team back on track The red team is having a communication breakdown.
- Kayla, what are you doing? - I'm plating Jimmy's fish.
Have you thought about asking Ayla how long for the steak? - I mean - No.
- Why didn't you ask her, then? - I don't know, chef.
- Oh, Kayla.
Kayla's getting really flustered cooking in a professional kitchen.
She's just really quiet.
Red team, listen up.
Four covers, table 13, three skate, one steak.
- Yes, chef.
- Yes, Kayla? No answer.
Kayla, can you say anything? Or have you given up? - No.
No, no, young lady.
You haven't said anything.
- Yes, chef.
- Jimmy, you're the captain.
- It's just silent in there.
- I'm sorry, chef.
It's kind of worrying me that no one seems to be talking in the kitchen.
As team captain, I need to make sure that we have really good communication.
Okay, guys, talk as much as you can.
Kayla, just tell me if you need help, okay? While Jimmy attempts to get the red team back on the same page by being more vocal Captain Andrew is finding it hard to keep up with the rest of the blue team.
- One plate of steak up.
- Jenna, I'm dragging.
There's the steak.
I need the skate.
Andrew, I need green beans.
I'm cooking 'em, Jenna.
Jenna, are you ready with the skate, and he's not ready with the beans? - Yeah.
- Unbelievable.
Jenna, can I have the skate without the beans? I'm gonna send it.
He can send these beans after.
Tell the customer I'm sorry.
Go, please.
Sorry about the green beans.
Blue team on order, three steak, one skate.
And can you tell your captain that you want the beans and the potatoes at the same time? - Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
- Andrew.
- Dude, I know you're plating.
- Potatoes need more time.
- Come on, Andrew.
Andrew's getting everything done in an extremely slow manner.
All my steaks are done, and at this point, we're hoping we get anything on the plates.
I need the three steaks, Nathan, please, now.
- Service, please.
- No potatoes, chef.
- Come on, Andrew.
- Oh, my god.
Doing the lunch rush at a professional restaurant is really crazy hectic, and it's really difficult to keep up, but I have no excuse.
I know I have to keep my composure.
I'm the leader, so if I lose, I'm going home.
Captain goes down with the ship.
- Potatoes, chef.
- Service, please.
As Andrew scrambles to keep pace with the rest of his team Out in the dining room, customers are beginning to critique the entrees.
Hi, folks, just wanted to check on your entrees.
- How's the fish? - Beautiful.
- Beautiful.
You enjoyed it? - Seasoned properly? - Yeah.
So the red team fish is good.
How about the red team steak? The steak is a little undercooked, but the potatoes are amazing.
- Look like rare, right? You ordered medium rare.
- Yeah.
- Sorry about that.
- No, it's fine.
- Enjoy the rest of your meal.
- Thank you.
Oh, you got your entrees.
Sorry about the wait.
How is it? You have your first taste? - First taste is a little salty.
- Salty, ooh.
Blue team skate was a little salty.
How's the steak? - Absolutely the best.
- Blue team steak, thumbs up.
Okay, sorry about the salty.
I'll let 'em know.
- Get some green beans on two plates.
- Two plates heard.
While the feedback for both teams' entrees is mixed, some of the red team's customers are growing impatient with the long wait for their food.
Don't stop working, guys.
We're definitely running late on some tables out there, guys.
I got table 2 that's gonna walk out.
They've been waiting too long.
Come on, Jimmy, please.
Come on, come on.
Kayla, come on.
When I eat at restaurants, I'm not gonna complain to people anymore that their food is coming out slowly, because ours was coming out a little slow.
Red team, listen up.
Customers are walking out.
Oh, my god, this is terrible.
Someone walking out could definitely be a deal breaker.
This could be the end.
Absolute baloney.
Customers are literally walking out.
Red team, listen up.
Customers are literally walking out.
- Unbelievable.
- Push it, guys.
Let's go.
This is like do or die time.
It, like, feels really terrible to know that a table walked out on us because it took too long.
- We need to get this food out.
- Jimmy.
- Okay, okay.
- Three steak, one skate followed by three skate, one steak.
- Yes, chef.
- Can you repeat it, chef.
It's three steak, one skate followed by one steak, three skate.
As team captain, it is now my time to step up to the plate and rally our team, and we will finish strong.
Okay, that's enough sauce.
Where's the steak? - Right here.
- Well done, darling.
Good.
- Service, please.
- Good, good, good, good, good.
Blue team.
Red team, listen up.
Last ticket.
This is the VIP ticket.
- One skate wing, one steak.
- Yes, chef.
- Coming up, chef.
Last table, guys.
Come on, let's go.
The competition is so close.
We had this last plate going out, and that last plate is a VIP plate, and it needs to taste good, because I'm really worried about just going home.
- Skate up.
- Come on, Nathan, please.
- Plate of steak up.
- Service please.
- Blue team, well done.
- Thank you, chef.
Start plating, Jimmy, please.
Finish strong.
- Steak, chef.
- Last plate, red team, let's go.
- It's right here.
- Red team, well done.
- Thank you, chef.
- Service please.
All of you, clean up.
I'm 11, but I feel like I've aged a couple of years.
I've never had this much stress ever.
The restaurant takeover was really, really hard.
But also, I feel confident.
I feel like my team and I, we did the best that we could.
- I think we did a good job.
- I think we got it.
We did it.
There were some bumps along the way.
I think the blue team could pull it off, because we were actually communicating, compared to the red team, who wasn't communicating at all.
Hug, group hug, group hug.
It's okay, no matter what happens.
With service completed for both teams, the executive chefs evaluate their entrees.
Can't wait to taste this blue team skate.
Looks beautiful.
- Very nice.
- How's it taste, chef? - That's good.
Crispy.
How's the red team skate look, chef? The red team skate's actually raw.
I'm gonna have to pass on this dish.
This here is just, like I mean, you can see it's still red inside.
They missed the mark.
Okay, chef.
Finally we have the steak of the red team And that of the blue team.
Looks beautiful.
Here we go.
This is the big reveal here.
- What you got? - Little rare on mine.
- Yours is definitely cooked nicer.
- Yeah, a little bit.
Evenly cooked on both sides.
Still have a nice red center.
I think the red team did a better job in searing their steak today.
Definitely.
I agree.
The blue team definitely followed my advice by heavily seasoning the exterior of the steak, because it is seasoned well, and the potatoes taste great.
Red team did a great job.
I like the crust.
I think all in all, they did a good job in seasoning it.
Thank you, thank you.
With the executive chefs' tastings complete, the guests in the dining room, who still have no idea that their food was prepared by junior home cooks, are filling out their comment cards.
The winner of today's challenge will be decided by the judges based on feedback from the customers, the executive chefs, and the team's overall performance in the kitchen.
The winning team will move on to the semi-finals while the losing team will see at least two junior home cooks go home.
First of all, thank you so much for your patience today.
Trust me, behind that wall, some of the most talented amateur cooks across this country battled it out for victory.
Would you like to meet the home cooks who made your lunch today? Yes, please.
Please let's welcome our chefs.
We go out, and the guests were shocked, like, that we're kids.
So it was really an honor serving customers in a high end restaurant.
Here they are.
Our amazing, young, talented chefs.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is MasterChef Junior.
Sorry some of the food took a little bit long to get out.
Thank you, Kayla.
Real quick, are there any questions out there for these young home cooks? - Right here.
- Okay, so, one word.
What was it like being in a professional kitchen with Gordon Ramsay? - One word? I have a bazillion.
- One.
Scary.
- Nathan.
- Horrifying.
- Horrifying.
- Stressful.
- Stressful, really? - Nightmare.
- Nightmare.
Ladies and gentlemen, MasterChef Junior is a competition.
Two teams battled fiercely today, but just one team can win And be safe from elimination.
The team that will be safe Will be Deciding that back in the MasterChef kitchen.
- Oh, seriously? - Joe, Graham, and myself need all night to contemplate, get all your feedback, and literally think this one out, because it is a very close call.
Red team, blue team, let's head back to the MasterChef kitchen.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much.
I definitely think we have a shot at winning this, because we weren't as frazzled as the blue team, and we didn't fight at all.
Even though we argued, I think our food was good quality, and I think the blue team is gonna win this one.
I really, really do.
Come on down, guys.
I think blue team may not win because of lack of communication, but even though we had some rough bumps in this challenge, I think the food was good enough to catapult us right into the semi-final.
As crazy as it was in the kitchen, I think my team did do enough to win.
We have more pros than cons.
The blue team had a lot of fires, so I feel confident.
You all just did an amazing job in the restaurant takeover.
You did better than a lot of our adult home cooks.
We are so proud of you and know how hard it was in that kitchen.
Andrew, how do you think it went for the blue team? We had some rough bumps in the middle of service, but I think that we pulled it out.
Jimmy, how did it go for you and the red team? I think we definitely shined in appetizers more than entrees, but I still think we did a really good job.
Unfortunately, in this challenge, there can only be one winning team.
Blue team.
You guys got off to a pretty dreadful start.
Nobody had that team spirit, and I know it may sound ironic coming from me, but being a strong leader isn't just about shouting, Andrew.
Sometimes you need to be calmly assertive and understand when your team's not responding to shouting, then you need to readjust.
Jenna, you seemed a little bit frazzled from the off.
Nathan, I felt that you could've come out of your comfort zone a little bit more and sort of opened up.
Slow start but a strong finish.
You stuck together as a team, so well done.
Red team.
You were definitely much more calm than the blue team.
No two ways about that.
But I felt, at times, there was three individuals somewhat disconnected.
You know, Jimmy, I've never seen so many dirty plates.
Ayla, I struggled with you because even calling out a two-top or a four-top, you were cooking one portion at a time.
And, Kayla, I didn't see you perform that much.
I felt that you weren't in the game.
But you guys did, overall, a decent job.
We listened to every guest.
We watched every plate.
And we saw how you worked across those 90 minutes.
One team, overall, did slightly better.
Please, judges, choose the blue team.
The winning team Please be red, please be red.
Who will be safe from elimination tonight Is The blue team.
- Oh, my god.
- Well done.
Red team, I'm sorry to say all three of you were on the losing side of that culinary battle, perhaps one of the most difficult challenges ever in this competition.
Blue team.
You're through to the semi-final.
Head up to the balcony.
Good job.
I am pumped.
I feel amazing that the blue team won.
You know, I led my team to victory, and that just feels great.
But then I look down, and I see Jimmy, Ayla, and Kayla, and I'm thinking: "Well, tonight, some talented home cooks are gonna be going home.
" And it's really sad.
Red team, please don't be too disheartened.
It was incredibly close.
There is some good news.
We're not gonna send you all home.
One of you will be saved.
I don't want to go home, but if I stay in, then my two best friends in the competition are going home.
It's definitely really stressful.
The young home cook That we are saving Is Jimmy.
Every detail was examined, and the three of us all agreed that you were performing at a level higher than everyone else.
- Well done, Jimmy.
- Thank you.
Go ahead and say bye and then head up to the balcony.
Bye, Jimmy.
It feels really good to be going on to the semi-finals, because I still have a lot more to accomplish in this competition.
But my two best friends are going home, so that's kind of sad, because I don't want anyone to go home.
Good job, man.
Kayla, Ayla, you both have delighted all three of us with some incredible dishes across this journey.
Continue cooking with your head up high.
Seriously, both of you well done.
Come and say good-bye.
Well done.
Come here, you.
Oh dear, good job.
Well done, well done.
Bye, darling.
I'm really proud of myself for being able to cook for Chef Ramsay and all the chefs.
Visually, it looks absolutely stunning.
Love the roll.
Roll looks fantastic.
This perhaps has to be the platter of the night.
Awesome.
I am very excited to inspire other kids to cook, because not only cooking is just fun, but it also brings your family together, so being on this show was one of the best things in my whole entire life.
Now, up there on the balcony, you know those four.
- Who's gonna win? - Jimmy.
Jimmy.
Fascinating.
Ayla? I would have to say Nathan.
Nathan.
Ladies, thank you so much.
- Thanks, guys.
Great job.
- Good night.
I feel really proud of myself that I made it to the top six out of thousands of kids.
Your apple turnover is crispy, light.
Your creme Anglaise is perfection.
- This is quite a triumphant dish.
- Thank you.
I felt like every challenge, I got stronger, so I'm gonna go home with a lot of knowledge and skill.
More than I had before.
And I made some life-long friends here.
This whole experience has been awesome.
- Good night, ladies.
- Bye.
Next week Who loves raspberries? The final four battle for a place in the ultimate culinary showdown Ready to light things up? But only the two hottest young home cooks will fire themselves into the finale.
I was born to be here.
I was born to do this.
To compete for 100,000 dollars.
I want that prize.
And I'm here to take it home.
And the title of MasterChef Junior.
Right now you have one foot in the finale.