MasterChef Junior (2013) s07e14 Episode Script
The Road to the Finale
1 Gordon Ramsay: This season on "MasterChef Junior" - Come on, guys, let's go! - Chop faster than you ever did in your life! Come on! little chefs became a very big deal.
At eight years old, you are the future of food.
Like a real pro.
- ( blows whistle ) - We threw all we had - at our young home cooks - ( screaming ) Don't be scared.
What are you doing? - Gordon: What's wrong with that? - It's raw.
- It's raw.
- What? - We need chicken now! - Are you listening, young lady? This challenge is not just hard.
It's hard! and three kid contestants rose to the top of the class.
This is something that you would have at some of the finest restaurants in this country.
This is the most elegant dish I have ever seen.
- Thank you, Chef.
- You're tiny, you're powerful, and you're very talented.
Tonight, on the road to the finale Open oven.
we drop back in on some of our favorite moments from the season ( kids laughing ) It's freezing.
fire up some never before seen footage.
This is where the magic happens.
Yeah.
- Oh.
- What's happening? - ( kids screaming ) - Uh-oh.
- What is that? - Okay.
Balcony.
including a hunt for hidden treasure - Um, fridge.
- in the MasterChef kitchen Oh, found it! and plenty of amazing bloopers - Oopsie daisy.
- you never got to see.
- Oh, no! No! - ( laughing ) - Oh! - Aarón: Yeah! ( screaming ) Plus, I'll be joined by our three finalists.
And trust me, something huge will go down when I push our notorious big red button.
This is "MasterChef Junior: Road To The Finale.
" ( music playing ) Good evening, and welcome to the "MasterChef Junior: Road To The Finale.
" What an incredible journey it's been.
Now tonight, we'll reveal never before seen footage as we celebrate the amazing class of 2019 and our three amazing junior finalists.
Now, way back, we started with 24.
We're now down to just three.
Che, Ivy, and Malia are left.
Here's how those talented young home cooks got there.
( music playing ) - ( screaming ) - O-M-G.
Come on down.
This season on "MasterChef Junior," the young chefs proved that age is just a number.
Kate: The kitchen does not scare me at all.
Even though I'm young, I can do big things.
You are the tiniest, but mightiest, talented home cooks.
Kids: Yes, Chef.
Oh, look at Rhashad.
He has such good knife skills.
I did start cooking when I was one years old.
Mateo: My mom is like, "Whoa! That's like magic.
How do you do that? Is that spatula a wand?" I was a baby, so I didn't know.
Just because we're kids doesn't mean we can't do crazy, fun stuff.
- Outstanding.
- It's getting there.
What's incredibly impressive to me is that these eight to twelve-year-olds are operating like professional chefs.
This is incredible.
( panting ) Gordon: Despite facing obstacles How is this gonna work? they reached for the impossible.
I got one! I'm not like most other kids.
I don't only eat dinosaur chicken nuggets and mac and cheese.
At eight years old, you are the future of food.
Like a real pro.
Aaron: I'm just a ten-year-old boy from Georgia.
And the MasterChef Junior kitchen is like the best chef's playground in the world.
They have everything.
Aaron, have you been eating that gold leaf? Like half of it.
Young man, it's delicious.
Where are these ideas coming from? You're only eight.
Usually, my mind.
Gordon: From day one, Che, Ivy, and Malia served up their personalities on a plate What is your cooking style? European blend with a Latin flair.
That sounds like a restaurant - I wanna eat at.
- Absolutely.
I'm pretty confident with this dish.
I'm Italian, and I think it shows a lot of me.
I think it has a lot of flavor and I think it will keep me in the competition.
I am bringing my flair.
I am Japanese, and I love cooking stuff near my heritage.
and brought their own unique style to the kitchen.
That hat is amazing.
I love that hat.
- Look at this hairstyle.
- Thank you.
So that style of your dish, I wanna see - just like you do with you hair.
- Okay.
First of all, I just need to give you props on the head scarf.
That for me is, like I get my superpowers in the kitchen - when I can put a little head scarf on.
- Yes.
They tackled every challenge with passion.
Guys, garnish! Garnish! I need everything ready.
Finish now! Reid, we got this! Just breathe.
Guys, just wipe the plates.
Come on, guys, we got this.
We can do it.
( gasps ) Medic! - What? - Can you do this? I'm not gonna let just a little cut stop me from cooking.
Boosted by their personal motivations My dad's kind of how I got into cooking.
So to make a dish that he and I made, I feel great doing it, and I feel I'm honoring him in a way.
- And also keeps you very close to him, right? - Yeah, yeah, keeps me close.
Where does this confidence come from? Sometimes people would use their height to seem tougher, but, no, I can use my voice - So that's where the confidence comes from.
- and my intelligence.
- Don't stop.
- Thank you.
they excelled week after week.
The very best dish of the night belongs to Malia.
- ( cheers and applause ) - Amazing.
You took a lot of risks, and that is what gets you far - in this competition.
- Thank you, Chef.
Che, you're starting to shine like no other.
You're tough to slow down, aren't you? Yes, Chef.
I was so impressed with what they brought to the table every single day.
Trust me, they were so much better at cooking than I was at that age.
Now, come on.
This is what my kitchen looked like back then.
Ghastly.
But things were way different, I didn't swear as much, and I had to cook in a crazy kitchen like this a real throwback to when I was young, just like this next hilarious clip.
Check it out.
- Oh, Gordon, uh-oh.
- Oh, no! He looks like a blonde version of me.
Gordon, you look like a girl.
This is me when I was about six years old.
Oh, my God! And it wasn't just me.
- Oh, my God! - Oh, my gosh! - I love your overalls.
- You look like a baby.
Guys! Aarón.
Che: Aarón looks like he just woke up.
His hair is all messy.
He has these big, white socks on.
He looks ridiculous.
I rocked this look when I was just 16 months old.
Hi, baby! - Oh! - Christina, what happened to you? - Look at her hair.
- Christina! I was almost four years old in this picture.
Aww! If hairstyles were like this in the U.
S.
now, I would probably move somewhere else.
This is what they used to dress me in every day.
Now, to all you parents out there, come on, guys.
Think about your child's future before you dress them in ridiculous outfits.
Now, speaking of ridiculous, check out my '70s apron.
Ready? My mom had one exactly like this.
Look at it.
O-M-G.
Come on, really? Now, every season, our young home cooks, they have to work really hard for their aprons.
But this year we took things to a whole new level.
Check out this never before seen footage.
To compete in this kitchen, you'll all need one of these.
- Oh, my God! - A MasterChef Junior white apron.
This is MasterChef Junior.
Kate: I'm literally pinching myself right now.
It's like a dream come true.
And we are not gonna make things that easy.
Your aprons are hiding all across this kitchen.
Che: Oh, my gosh.
This is insane.
It's amazing.
To find your apron, you're gonna need to use What's happening? - What's happening? - Uh-oh.
- Uh-oh! - What is that? Reid: Oh, my! Oh, my God! This is so cool! A golden ticket.
Those tickets will give each of you an amazing clue, which will then lead you to exactly where your apron may be hiding.
This golden ticket is the key to my apron.
- Kyle.
- Reid, I got you.
Luckily, I'm really, really, really good with hunting.
Aarón: Go find your aprons.
- Ready? - Balcony, ooh! Oh, my God, we're in the pantry! Okay.
I actually don't like treasure hunts.
I actually love them! "You're a ninja warrior, the strongest around.
Your apron will be found one level above the ground.
" No, not there.
Um, fridge, fridge, fridge.
"In Ireland you will find this popular food.
If you sit on the couch, you'll become one, too.
" Ooh! ( whispering ) Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry.
"He has a cookbook and all the fame.
You and this judge share the same name.
" "Quick with a plan, go search for a tool to make pasta by hand.
" By hand! "The best hunter for miles, your family will cheer you.
Your apron is next to the meat of a deer.
" Oh, found it! Oh, here are the pasta machines.
Yeah! Oh, my God! This is insane.
- Oh, yes! - I found mine! - Found it.
- Found mine.
- Oh, here.
- Oh, I found it! - I found my apron! - Under the table.
Yes! Evie: I can't believe that I have a MasterChef Junior apron with my name on it.
Is this really real? Che: I've wanted to get a MasterChef Junior apron with my name on it forever.
It's such a great and wonderful item to have, and I can't believe that I've gotten this far.
Those kids will have those aprons and memories forever.
Now, speaking of memories, trust me, I remember some food I used to love back in the '70s, and it was jiggly.
Come on, look at that.
I dare you.
Now we know food can be funny sometimes, and keeping your sense of humor in the kitchen is a must.
What's orange and black? A panda covered in sweet and sour sauce.
- No, your pan in front of you burning.
- Oh, God.
Sometimes the best ingredient in this kitchen is laughter.
Open your mouth.
There, you got a tooth missing.
Someone put a ( laughing ) - Do you have siblings? - My stuffed animals and my imaginary friends.
I had an imaginary girlfriend at your age.
I wasn't allowed to date until I was 16.
- Really? - Yes.
So you have to wait eight years.
My dad always says the smellier the cheese, the better.
Really? Dad smells the cheese and Aarón cuts it.
Don't listen to him.
Believe me, these kids can dish it out.
Your fly is open.
Che, I did it! Hey, your shoe is untied.
What? Can you two concentrate? Do you go to the gym? Are you kidding me? Look at me.
I'm super strong.
- Mmm.
- Oh, come on! Who loves you, baby? You look kind of silly.
- Oh, come on.
- That's my look, not yours.
- Really? - Yeah.
And good old flattery never fails to put a smile on my face.
- What excites you most about food? - You.
You're so good on your videos, and I watch all of them.
Is that what you wanna be when you grow up? You wanna be like me? - Yes, Chef.
- I love that idea.
- You're urban, he's rural.
What am I? - Yeah.
- Uh, you're like - Royal.
Exactly that.
Well spotted.
Malia: He is the king of the kitchen.
Hail to Gordon.
Gordon Ramsay has fixed hundreds of restaurants and he's taught American kids how to be chefs.
So what should his next job be? President of the United States.
- Really? - You got the hair.
Whoa! Unfortunately, I was born in Scotland, so I can never be president, no matter how good my hair looks.
Now we have so much more coming up, including our three finalists, and the return of the red button.
You don't wanna miss it.
- Still to come - ( screaming ) plenty of embarrassing bloopers - ( sputtering ) - Oh, my God.
Gordon's always like this.
the kids give their best impressions of us Chicken.
Bok bok.
Who wants an order of chicken wings? - Bam bam bam - Eww! plus, we revisit some of the messiest moments since season one.
And I get sweet revenge You recognize that, right? - one last time.
- ( kids screaming ) ( music playing ) Man.
Welcome back.
Ever wondered how I got this tough? I was using all this '70s equipment as a kid.
Trust me, this is hard work, but it's nothing compared to what these young talented home cooks went through right here in the MasterChef kitchen.
You'll all be working with fresh, alive, and kicking lobsters.
Gordon: This season, the challenges were tougher - than ever before.
- Eww! All right, so this duck just really run your knife and look for that little joint, and then you just pull back.
Ben: Aarón is making duck look so easy.
Oh, my gosh.
- He's just amazing! - ( whistles ) Gordon: Chicken feet, pig snout, intestines.
Put your hands up if you like offal.
Gross.
We're tasking you with killing it, cooking it, and extracting all that beautiful lobster meat all by yourselves.
We're just kids.
You'll be replicating a big favorite at my three Michelin star restaurant.
My signature pan-seared scallops.
Both: Wow! Use the knife against the shell and open.
Gently pop that out.
Aaron: Oh, my God.
I'm only ten years old.
I've never even eaten a three Michelin star dish.
I mean, I go to taco trucks back in Georgia.
- Shuck, shuck, shuck.
- ( groans ) The pressure could not be any more intense tonight.
- Oh, come on.
- Ooh! - Aaron, is it alive? - Yeah.
Eww.
This is nasty.
This a challenge that we save for the adults.
Aarón: There's so much technicality that needs to be executed perfectly.
It's no fun and games now.
Gordon: This is a challenge of nerve.
Don't be scared! Gordon: A challenge of determination.
This challenge is not just hard.
It's hard! Gordon: But despite their setbacks Oh, God! What did I just hit? - Oops.
- What happened? I burned myself.
- Oh, gosh.
- Oh, dear.
they rose to new heights.
There you go.
You're on the way back.
- It's all good.
- There we go.
- I wanna eat that.
Whoo! - Exciting! There is some serious culinary genius happening in the kitchen tonight.
- What are they doing to us? - Aarón: Everyone, let's go.
Ooh, that looks gorgeous.
Chefs: Five, four, three - Where's my - two, one.
- That's it.
- And stop.
- Hands in the air.
Well done.
- Hands in the air.
Aarón: Good job! Back when I was a kid, this is the kind of tableware that we had in our house.
Come on, look at these ghastly plates.
Seriously, they are so ugly.
Now, speaking of homes, let's see what our young home cooks are like in theirs.
Check this out.
Welcome to my bedroom.
Super fun to relax in.
Our 24 young home chefs applied to be on the show from all across the country.
Ta-da! These are my shoe game/sneakers.
You think it's a globe.
It's a cookie jar.
I'm all about that craft, create, and construct.
Most importantly This is where all the magic happens.
This is where the magic happens.
Where all the magic happens.
they all shared a passion for cooking.
Here's my favorite knife I like to use to chop my different things.
This is my favorite cookbook, by the master herself, Julia Child.
These are some experiment recipes that I wrote down.
I love to experiment.
We're marinating a yummy skirt steak for tonight's dinner, and it's gonna be so good.
I've been cooking since I was four years old, and I might be small, but I'm an amazing chef.
Their culinary skill and dedication Flambé! quickly set them apart from the rest.
I have a very sophisticated, refined palate, and I pack a lot of punch.
And their signature dishes were second to none.
My famous southern fried chicken and coleslaw.
This is my Irish potato soup.
Lobster with a saffron beurre blanc, which is a favorite of mine.
But what makes these young home chefs special are their own unique personalities.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah, go ahead, everybody I Irish dance everywhere I go, whether I'm cooking, whether I'm in a skirt This is my wall of hearts that my parents made for me.
This is when we won the league championship.
These are my paintings.
I like blue.
A karaoke machine where me and my friends like to do karaoke.
When you open it all my jewelry! And I have a lot.
My pearls.
As you can see, I have a lot of these.
See you in the kitchen, home cooks.
See ya later, alligator.
Come on, seriously, take a look at this.
This is some classic party food from the 1970s.
This monstrosity is a liver sausage pineapple, a vegetable mold salad, or moldy salad, and a classic British favorite, cheese pineapple hedgehog.
Honestly, come on.
This looks disgusting.
What were people thinking back then? Nobody would ever be able to become MasterChef based on these dishes.
But for those who do dream of winning big, trust me, they had some very exciting plans with all that money.
To think about $100,000, my mind is just going ( imitates explosion ) I'd probably get another kitten.
I am a crazy cat lady.
I would buy a puppy and name it Jacques or François.
My sister and I are still debating that.
I want my own pet lion because it shows people not to mess with me.
I might buy myself a unicorn.
I'd put a pond in my backyard and fill it with frogs and fish and all types of wildlife.
A marshmallow tub where you could go into it and also eat it.
I wanna get a hoverboard and slime.
I have to share a bathroom with my sister, and I'm gonna give myself a new bathroom with the money, and on my door I'm gonna put a fingerprint lock so that way nobody can get into my room.
I'm living life now.
No more sisters.
Still to come, the finalists stop by How are you all feeling about the finale? I can't wait.
It's gonna be so much fun.
I just wanna, like, do my best.
I'm just hoping that I don't drop anything.
and I have a messy treat in store for them.
The secret behind any tiramisu is the most amazing ( buzzer ) ( kids screaming ) Hello, everyone, and good-bye to that ghastly 1970s kitchen.
I would not miss that hideous decor.
Trust me, that orange gave me a big headache.
Now, can you believe it? This time next week, we will find out our "MasterChef Junior" season seven winner.
Trust me, you do not want to miss that.
But across this season, these talented young home cooks were at the top of their game, and they got there by listening to a few very simple rules.
Don't make cracks! It's getting cracky! - Here are the basic tips for culinary success.
- Where's the flour? - Malia, that is good.
- They smell delicious.
- I love the idea.
Good luck.
- Thank you.
Seasoning and flavors can make or break a dish.
I am doing a turkey slider - Wow.
Really? - with grilled pineapple.
Where did you see that before? - Nowhere, I just thought of - Stop there.
That's why.
'Cause we don't do it.
Wow.
Did not see this one coming.
So, I'm not using those.
Let's talk about this quesadilla.
There's a big hole.
I can almost see you through this.
Oh, gosh.
Less is never more when it comes to key ingredients.
All I'm getting is flour tortilla and chicken.
( sighs ) Nice, Jaala! Oh, God.
Evie: Tal just ran out of frosting.
Presentation is everything.
- What is Tal doing? - Tal: Oh, my gosh.
It is just not staying on.
Whoa! Tal's thing is a mess.
Brielle: Oh, this is really bad.
Che: How did he make this? What is this? This is insane.
I mean, what is that? Gordon: And remember, a dish only tastes as good as it looks.
- You have cell phones.
Do you text? - Mm-hmm.
- Do you use emojis? - Mm-hmm.
What does the top of this look like to you? Looks a little bit like the poop emoji.
- No.
- Aaron: We showed the other competitors what it's like to take a poop with some banana and coffee.
Look at this beautiful herb garden.
Come on, absolutely stunning.
Now, a touch of the outside here in the MasterChef kitchen.
But when the kids head out into the real world, honestly, it's not always a garden party.
- Are both teams ready? - All: Yes, Chef! Gordon: MasterChef Junior is tough.
Ow.
Oh, that's hot.
But nothing is harder than the field challenges.
- ( horn honking ) - Camp, camp, camp, camp! When stepping out from the heat of the kitchen, always expect the unexpected.
Oh, wow.
Seriously? Seriously? Welcome to the amazing MasterChef kids camp.
You will be in charge of running a Michelin star restaurant.
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, my gosh.
Be ready to feed your guests.
There are 51 hungry circus performers.
You will be cooking for all of the campers here today.
That's a lot of people.
Guys, this dining room is fully booked, and they have no idea how old the chefs are preparing this dinner this evening.
Whoa.
Age can no longer be an excuse.
- Oh, my gosh.
- ( blows whistle ) Aaron: The stakes are bigger than ever before.
Don't be scared.
What are you doing? Go get me a bottle of water.
I'm about to faint.
Gordon: Things will get intense.
We need chicken now! Everybody stop what you're doing and come here please.
- I'm doing steaks right now.
- So, communication Are you listening, young lady? - is key.
- Ivy: What? Are you kidding me right now? It's too much, Gordon! - Blue team! Guys.
- A couple more minutes.
- Who's cooking the lamb? So why is it not in? - Me, Chef.
I was trying to get as many on the pan as possible.
- No.
- I'm part of this.
I know what I'm doing right here, okay? I say if it needs more.
I need another rising rack right now.
I find it a little ironic nobody is listening to me about coming to a meeting that's about not listening to me.
Oh, dear, oh, dear.
Gordon: The food must be cooked Touch that.
It's not gonna hurt.
It's cold.
to perfection.
Just stop.
It looks like someone's been shot on your plate.
You know that's not okay.
It's raw.
You'll send those children to a hospital in seconds.
For the bear.
I am taking a deep breath.
Let's go, guys.
That's terrible.
No matter how tough things get I shouldn't have done that, Chef.
never give up.
Come on, man.
Can you wake up and just show me that you've got a little bit of oomph in you, yes? - Yes, Chef.
Yes, Chef.
- Let's go! And the hardest parts of life are where you grow the most.
Come on, guys, we got this.
- You can do this, Reid.
- Okay, let's go.
And most importantly The guests are arriving? What? always finish strong.
Yes, yes, yes! Beef is really a fantastic meal.
We've enjoyed this a lot.
I really wanted more.
I loved it so much.
Please, welcome the red team and the blue team, ladies and gentlemen.
That's the first time in history we've never ever seen a dish return to the kitchen.
Can you describe in one word what it's like cooking for Gordon Ramsay in a real kitchen? Terrifying.
Man! Now, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
I say who do these kids think they are? Gordon is always like this.
I really like Gordon's accent.
Can you speak properly, please? - "Bazel.
" - "Bazel.
" - "Tomah-toes.
" Perfect.
- "Tomah-toes.
" ( high-pitched ) One lamb, two fillet.
One lamb, three fillet.
Followed by one halibut, three prawn.
- Followed by two prawn, two halibut, yes? - Yes, Chef.
( English accent ) Also, I have six Ferraris! What would you do with $100,000? Buy a new wheel for my Ferrari.
This is my Aarón Sánchez impression.
( trilling ) Aarón! ( trilling ) Aarón! You say "mascarpone.
" Mascarpone! Eso! Like they used in Italy.
- Mmm! - Mmm-mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm! Chicken.
Bok bok.
Who wants an order of chicken wings? Bam bam bam, bam bam bam Who wants a double order? When Christina looks at your food, she's like Mm.
Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
Hey, mamacita.
There you go, mama.
What's up, mama? Nice rice, mama.
Oh! You okay, mama? - I'm good.
- Jaala: Christina Tosi, she's like the queen of baking.
She's the fairy of cupcakes! Wow! What do you think of my new dress? Amazing! And spin, and spin, and spin! - That was brilliant.
- And scene.
- Whoo! - ( cheering ) Gordon: Still to come, Che, Ivy, and Malia join me in the kitchen.
Oh, man.
Good to see you, bud.
Oh, man.
Plus, some of this season's best bloopers.
- ( sputtering ) - Oh, my God.
And we revisit some of the messiest moments from the past seven years.
( kids shouting ) Welcome back to "MasterChef Junior: Road To The Finale.
" We're just one week away from naming our season seven winner.
Now in just a few moments, we'll be talking to our three amazing finalists.
Right now we're inside the incredible MasterChef pantry, where our young home cooks had access to the best ingredients in the world.
Trust me, they used them to make some of the most incredible dishes we've ever seen.
Let's take a look.
I do cook classic French cuisine.
So I am making a duck ÃÂ l'orange with parsnip puree and caramelized endives.
That's something that belongs on a menu! Gordon: This year, the junior home cooks impressed us with their sophisticated flavors Today I've made you a pan-seared branzino with an orange-scented rainbow chard and a warm tomato salsa.
It's refined beyond belief.
Malia: A lobster taco with some sweet potato wedges and a slaw with an avocado crema.
The fact that you chose to use the lobster shell as vessel to keep all that beautiful goodness of the lobster kind of enclosed is unreal.
Is it okay if I steal that idea? If you want.
and transformed difficult ingredients into something greater.
I'm doing an Ethiopian style dish.
- Wow.
- This is "MasterChef," and you just have to put yourself on a plate, and that's what got me to where I am today.
Ethiopian lamb loin with some sautéed spinach and a yogurt sauce with cucumbers.
- Gordon: The dishes - Aarón: All executed with perfection.
- Gordon: Yeah.
- So bold, so thoughtful, and so different.
With every challenge, they sharpened their skills.
Aarón: I'm really impressed.
That is dynamite.
Exceptional.
- It's an incredibly refined dish.
- Thank you.
Tonight, we saw some amazing dishes that delivered beyond MasterChef Junior standards.
And in the end Ivy: Blue cheese crusted pork chop with sautéed cabbage.
Gordon: It's a smart dish that's been conceptualized beautifully.
You have a chef's mind.
their level of talent and skill exceeded our expectations.
Che: Shrimp marinated with lime juice and cumin and cilantro on a corn sope.
Aarón: There's a lot going on here that's compelling.
That right there is spot-on.
Ben: Citrus napoleon with a blueberry jam.
The pastry cream has orange and lime zest.
This is a master class in a gorgeous citrus dessert.
So impressive.
Here on "MasterChef Junior" we take things very, very seriously.
Most of the time.
Check this out.
- I'm on fire, Chef.
- Let go of that.
Let go of that.
- Oh, God.
Fire.
- I've got that.
Don't you worry.
Working in a professional kitchen is tough enough.
But throwing 24 kids into the mix - I'm okay.
- can make it chaotic.
- ( screaming ) - Trust me, a lot can go wrong.
Oopsie daisy.
Oh, no! No! To ensure that everything runs smoothly - Whoa.
- you must behave like a true professional.
- ( sputtering ) - Oh, my God.
- Yeah! - ( screaming ) You guys got it? Even when you think no one's watching.
- Woman: Beautiful.
- Whoa.
I got made it.
( blows raspberries ) ( duck calling ) The most funnest, funnest Funnest? Is that a word? - ( crew chatter ) - ( laughs ) - ( farting ) - Oops.
- ( farting ) - Man: All right, buddy.
- ( indistinct chatter ) - ( laughing ) And remember, when the pressure is on in the kitchen, clear communication is key.
I'm making a cookies and cream "pan colada.
" - A piña colada? - "Pan colada.
" Cookies and cream "pan colada.
" Panna cotta.
Piña colada.
Panna cotta.
- Rhashad: Jaala, what are you making? - A galaxy cake.
Gal I'm studying a science bachelors degree.
Oh, really? - Guess what in? - What? - B.
S.
- What's that? What's that? You don't know what B.
S.
is? No, I do not know.
Bachelor of shellfish.
Oh! Oh, my gosh.
Good job.
I'll be graduating my degree in B.
S.
very soon.
Coming up, I'll be joined by our three amazing finalists, Che, Ivy, and Malia.
Plus, the red button is back, and somebody will be getting very, very messy.
You do not want to miss that.
This time next week, one of our three finalists will be winning this incredible trophy.
Will it be Che, Ivy, or Malia? Shortly, all three will be joining me right here for a chat in this amazing kitchen.
Only one of them will take home the big prize.
But all of our home cooks have already won something that money can never buy.
Cupcakes! ( cheering ) - Yeah.
- Right.
We look after each other.
More importantly, we respect everything we do together.
All: Yes, Chef! ( panting ) - Here, Matthew, let me help.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Rhashad.
- You're welcome.
Gordon: Although this is a competition Thank you.
the kids are always willing to support one another.
Can somebody who's tall help me? I'm not, but I'll try.
I feel like meeting all these wonderful people, I've made lifelong friends that I'm never gonna forget.
- Yes! - Yay! - Teamwork makes the dream work.
- Perfect.
- Oh, my God, yours is so pretty.
- Thank you.
Sophie: We've all gotten so close to each other.
We're like family.
- Can I help with that? - Yeah.
Malia is like peanut butter to my jelly.
Ivy is very, very strong.
She is, like, my best friend! I am very happy.
Even though we're the smallest ones here, we are the toughest.
Not these.
These.
Gordon: When things got intense in the kitchen, they all pulled together.
You get to save one more person tonight.
This person is really a nice kid, and he's one of the best in this kitchen.
- Aaron.
- Yes! Aaron, he's my best friend.
- Let's go.
- Thank you so much.
He has been by my side this whole competition.
- How are you doing? Whoa, that looks really great.
- It's doing good.
- Che, you're doing amazing.
- Great, so are you.
Che: We're all definitely here to win, but we're all just such great friends.
Let's all give Aaron a group hug.
Having really good friends, that's what gets you places in life, and that's what impacted me so much on this journey.
( whispering ) No matter what happens we all did an amazing job.
What incredible kids.
Truly inspiring.
But only one can be crowned champion next week, and our three finalists are here tonight.
Please, welcome back Ivy.
Welcome back Che.
And welcome back Malia.
- Hi.
- Oh, man, good to see you.
- Good to see you, too.
- Good to see you, bud.
- You good? - You, too.
Yeah.
Hello! Oh, man.
- Good to see you, baby.
- Good to see you, too.
You three, congratulations on making it to the finale.
Are you excited? - Yes! - Very much so.
Now, you are officially the top three most talented young cooks in all of America.
Now, Ivy, how would you describe the whole MasterChef Junior experience? It's been so exciting, and just fun, and just, I mean, crazy.
MasterChef Junior wasn't what you expected? No, not at all.
When I first came in here, I was like, I'm gonna be focused, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do that.
But over the course, I've been like, okay, well, now I've created so many friendships.
It's been so fun, and I can't believe I was just so focused - in the beginning.
- Yeah.
Gotcha.
Now, Che, the experience has been incredible, but what's the one big lesson you've learned across this whole season? I'd say it's probably just to believe in yourself, and just truly be yourself, and have as much fun as you can.
Yeah.
Malia, you've been incredible.
You sort of seem completely unfazed.
But if there's one piece of advice you'd like to give next year's "MasterChef Junior" contestants, - what would it be? - I would say just put yourself on the plate, because, like, when I cook my best, I cook with my culture.
Be yourself and go for it.
Apply and try.
Now, how are you all feeling about the finale? I can't wait.
It's gonna be so much fun just to be cooking with you guys.
It's gonna be awesome.
I'm super excited and nervous at the same time.
Just a bunch of emotions, and I just wanna do my best.
I'm so excited, I'm so happy, and I'm a little nervous.
I'm just hoping that I don't drop anything.
Now, the night before the big cook-off next week, you've got to get to bed early.
- I know! - You've got to get to sleep, okay? - Promise me.
- All: Promise.
Great.
Now, when we come back, some of the messiest moments from the past seven seasons.
And I have one last surprise for these three talented individuals.
Trust me, you do not want to miss this.
Welcome back! I'm Ivy.
- I'm Che.
- And I'm Malia.
And I'm Gordon.
Guys, you're stealing my lines.
Really? This is my kitchen.
All jokes aside, you three have had an incredible journey to the finale, and I couldn't be prouder, honestly.
Let's take a much closer look how they got there.
Gordon: This is it.
Three home cooks remain, but only one will be victorious.
Malia: This is a dream come true in a lifetime! Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Gordon: They each battled their way to the top - Is it gonna be flavorful, Ivy? - Of course.
- I taste my food and I know taste.
- I love it.
proving themselves as worthy finalists.
The young home cook headed into the finale is Che, Malia Ivy.
From the beginning, Ivy impressed us with her giant skills.
You showed great finesse, great flair.
You've come out the gates strong.
And the intense heat in the kitchen - Two prawns, two halibut? - Are you listening, young lady? - Yes, Chef.
- Or do you wanna go out and serve some plates? Yes, Chef.
Come on! Make it perfect.
- did not stop her.
- You guys got this! You're cooking with no fear.
Every time you turn that stove on, you're getting more and more confidence.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Well done.
Ooh, these are nice and crispy.
Malia's impeccable Asian flavors blew us away.
That looks incredible.
It's like it's just come out of a Japanese restaurant.
Thank you.
And despite hitting roadblocks along the way - What's wrong with that? - It's raw.
I know you can do better than this.
I really have to step it up and just get it together.
Quick, quick! Come on, guys, we got this! her positive attitude and signature bandana - That's good.
- helped her overcome every obstacle.
It's a smart dish that's been conceptualized beautifully.
Young lady, you've raised the bar.
Oh, my gosh.
Although Che struggled to shine at the start The star of your dish needed a lot of help.
- It's dry.
- Che: I need to cook my best.
I need to show the judges my all.
I wanna prove that I'm a great chef and I can cook anything they throw at me.
Perfect! Gordon: his talent and drive pushed him all the way to the top.
It's time to take off, and you're no longer part of the pack.
You're in a league of your own.
- Thank you.
- Good job, bud.
From 24 young chefs to our final three This is something that you would have at some of the finest restaurants in this country.
This is the most elegant dish I have ever seen.
- Thank you, Chef.
- You're tiny, you're powerful, and you're very talented.
only one will be the winner.
Che: All of this work has come up to this moment.
I want to win this for my family.
I want to do it for everyone that's helped me along the way getting through this journey.
Ivy: I want to win this so bad because this is my chance to prove that I can do anything that I put my mind to.
Malia: If I set a goal for myself, I will achieve it.
So, I really want to win to prove to me that I am a winner.
Honestly, all three of you are such deserving finalists.
Well done.
I'm so proud, honestly.
- Thank you.
- Now, I can't wait to see who's gonna be crowned champion next week.
Now, come on, you know I love doing this show, but there are some parts that are a total mess.
- Are you ready? - Oh, this is scary.
- Gordon: Every season - ( kids screaming, laughing ) - Yeah! - the team challenges get bigger and messier.
( Christina laughing ) And this season was no exception.
( kids laughing, shouting ) I think I just swallowed some garlic.
- What? - ( kids screaming, laughing ) It's freezing.
- I can't see.
- Perfect.
No banana split is complete without cherry on top! But as always, we couldn't be happier to return the favor.
( screaming ) What the heck is this? - All: Corn! - It's wet! It's in my shoes! - ( screaming ) - Oh, my gosh.
It's raining coconut in the MasterChef kitchen.
I just got my hair done! - Guys.
- Pull the rope down.
- Boo-yeah! - Christina: Yellow team.
Gordon: Red team.
Gordon: What a mess! How many times have I told you to work nice and tidy? ( screaming ) Right, no more messing this hair up for another season.
Thank goodness for that.
Guys, honestly, you've all worked so hard to get to the finale.
I'd like to give you a little treat.
- In fact - Yes! I'd like you to have a dessert right now.
- Oh, yes.
- Yes! A stunning dessert from the '70s.
I'd like to make for all of you, a delicious tiramisu.
- Excited? - Yes! - You recognize that, right? - ( all shouting ) - No, no, no, no, no! - Don't! Don't! The secret behind any tiramisu is the most amazing cream! ( buzzer ) Oh, my gosh.
Oh, so cold! - I'm freezing! - I'm sor ( laughs ) - Oh, my Lord.
- Why? - What else makes a great tiramisu? - Oh, no, no! Not any more! Not any more! Espresso! No! Oh, God! - ( screaming ) - No! Two sugars in mine, please.
Che: So gross! - Right, join us next week - Che: Oh, no! when we crown our amazing MasterChef Junior champion.
- Will it be Ivy? - ( screams ) - Will it be Che? - Oh, my God.
Or will it be Malia? Somebody is gonna get a sweet victory.
And we can't forget the most amazing chocolate powder.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no! Wait! Why - And let's not forget - No! - our ladyfingers.
- Gordon, no! Our ladyfingers, come on.
Look at that tiramisu! Oh, my Lord.
Oh, my goodness me.
Right, guys, not the hair.
Next week, find out who will be crowned MasterChef Junior champion.
Trust me, you do not want to miss it.
Guys, seriously? My jeans! They're expensive, seriously.
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.
At eight years old, you are the future of food.
Like a real pro.
- ( blows whistle ) - We threw all we had - at our young home cooks - ( screaming ) Don't be scared.
What are you doing? - Gordon: What's wrong with that? - It's raw.
- It's raw.
- What? - We need chicken now! - Are you listening, young lady? This challenge is not just hard.
It's hard! and three kid contestants rose to the top of the class.
This is something that you would have at some of the finest restaurants in this country.
This is the most elegant dish I have ever seen.
- Thank you, Chef.
- You're tiny, you're powerful, and you're very talented.
Tonight, on the road to the finale Open oven.
we drop back in on some of our favorite moments from the season ( kids laughing ) It's freezing.
fire up some never before seen footage.
This is where the magic happens.
Yeah.
- Oh.
- What's happening? - ( kids screaming ) - Uh-oh.
- What is that? - Okay.
Balcony.
including a hunt for hidden treasure - Um, fridge.
- in the MasterChef kitchen Oh, found it! and plenty of amazing bloopers - Oopsie daisy.
- you never got to see.
- Oh, no! No! - ( laughing ) - Oh! - Aarón: Yeah! ( screaming ) Plus, I'll be joined by our three finalists.
And trust me, something huge will go down when I push our notorious big red button.
This is "MasterChef Junior: Road To The Finale.
" ( music playing ) Good evening, and welcome to the "MasterChef Junior: Road To The Finale.
" What an incredible journey it's been.
Now tonight, we'll reveal never before seen footage as we celebrate the amazing class of 2019 and our three amazing junior finalists.
Now, way back, we started with 24.
We're now down to just three.
Che, Ivy, and Malia are left.
Here's how those talented young home cooks got there.
( music playing ) - ( screaming ) - O-M-G.
Come on down.
This season on "MasterChef Junior," the young chefs proved that age is just a number.
Kate: The kitchen does not scare me at all.
Even though I'm young, I can do big things.
You are the tiniest, but mightiest, talented home cooks.
Kids: Yes, Chef.
Oh, look at Rhashad.
He has such good knife skills.
I did start cooking when I was one years old.
Mateo: My mom is like, "Whoa! That's like magic.
How do you do that? Is that spatula a wand?" I was a baby, so I didn't know.
Just because we're kids doesn't mean we can't do crazy, fun stuff.
- Outstanding.
- It's getting there.
What's incredibly impressive to me is that these eight to twelve-year-olds are operating like professional chefs.
This is incredible.
( panting ) Gordon: Despite facing obstacles How is this gonna work? they reached for the impossible.
I got one! I'm not like most other kids.
I don't only eat dinosaur chicken nuggets and mac and cheese.
At eight years old, you are the future of food.
Like a real pro.
Aaron: I'm just a ten-year-old boy from Georgia.
And the MasterChef Junior kitchen is like the best chef's playground in the world.
They have everything.
Aaron, have you been eating that gold leaf? Like half of it.
Young man, it's delicious.
Where are these ideas coming from? You're only eight.
Usually, my mind.
Gordon: From day one, Che, Ivy, and Malia served up their personalities on a plate What is your cooking style? European blend with a Latin flair.
That sounds like a restaurant - I wanna eat at.
- Absolutely.
I'm pretty confident with this dish.
I'm Italian, and I think it shows a lot of me.
I think it has a lot of flavor and I think it will keep me in the competition.
I am bringing my flair.
I am Japanese, and I love cooking stuff near my heritage.
and brought their own unique style to the kitchen.
That hat is amazing.
I love that hat.
- Look at this hairstyle.
- Thank you.
So that style of your dish, I wanna see - just like you do with you hair.
- Okay.
First of all, I just need to give you props on the head scarf.
That for me is, like I get my superpowers in the kitchen - when I can put a little head scarf on.
- Yes.
They tackled every challenge with passion.
Guys, garnish! Garnish! I need everything ready.
Finish now! Reid, we got this! Just breathe.
Guys, just wipe the plates.
Come on, guys, we got this.
We can do it.
( gasps ) Medic! - What? - Can you do this? I'm not gonna let just a little cut stop me from cooking.
Boosted by their personal motivations My dad's kind of how I got into cooking.
So to make a dish that he and I made, I feel great doing it, and I feel I'm honoring him in a way.
- And also keeps you very close to him, right? - Yeah, yeah, keeps me close.
Where does this confidence come from? Sometimes people would use their height to seem tougher, but, no, I can use my voice - So that's where the confidence comes from.
- and my intelligence.
- Don't stop.
- Thank you.
they excelled week after week.
The very best dish of the night belongs to Malia.
- ( cheers and applause ) - Amazing.
You took a lot of risks, and that is what gets you far - in this competition.
- Thank you, Chef.
Che, you're starting to shine like no other.
You're tough to slow down, aren't you? Yes, Chef.
I was so impressed with what they brought to the table every single day.
Trust me, they were so much better at cooking than I was at that age.
Now, come on.
This is what my kitchen looked like back then.
Ghastly.
But things were way different, I didn't swear as much, and I had to cook in a crazy kitchen like this a real throwback to when I was young, just like this next hilarious clip.
Check it out.
- Oh, Gordon, uh-oh.
- Oh, no! He looks like a blonde version of me.
Gordon, you look like a girl.
This is me when I was about six years old.
Oh, my God! And it wasn't just me.
- Oh, my God! - Oh, my gosh! - I love your overalls.
- You look like a baby.
Guys! Aarón.
Che: Aarón looks like he just woke up.
His hair is all messy.
He has these big, white socks on.
He looks ridiculous.
I rocked this look when I was just 16 months old.
Hi, baby! - Oh! - Christina, what happened to you? - Look at her hair.
- Christina! I was almost four years old in this picture.
Aww! If hairstyles were like this in the U.
S.
now, I would probably move somewhere else.
This is what they used to dress me in every day.
Now, to all you parents out there, come on, guys.
Think about your child's future before you dress them in ridiculous outfits.
Now, speaking of ridiculous, check out my '70s apron.
Ready? My mom had one exactly like this.
Look at it.
O-M-G.
Come on, really? Now, every season, our young home cooks, they have to work really hard for their aprons.
But this year we took things to a whole new level.
Check out this never before seen footage.
To compete in this kitchen, you'll all need one of these.
- Oh, my God! - A MasterChef Junior white apron.
This is MasterChef Junior.
Kate: I'm literally pinching myself right now.
It's like a dream come true.
And we are not gonna make things that easy.
Your aprons are hiding all across this kitchen.
Che: Oh, my gosh.
This is insane.
It's amazing.
To find your apron, you're gonna need to use What's happening? - What's happening? - Uh-oh.
- Uh-oh! - What is that? Reid: Oh, my! Oh, my God! This is so cool! A golden ticket.
Those tickets will give each of you an amazing clue, which will then lead you to exactly where your apron may be hiding.
This golden ticket is the key to my apron.
- Kyle.
- Reid, I got you.
Luckily, I'm really, really, really good with hunting.
Aarón: Go find your aprons.
- Ready? - Balcony, ooh! Oh, my God, we're in the pantry! Okay.
I actually don't like treasure hunts.
I actually love them! "You're a ninja warrior, the strongest around.
Your apron will be found one level above the ground.
" No, not there.
Um, fridge, fridge, fridge.
"In Ireland you will find this popular food.
If you sit on the couch, you'll become one, too.
" Ooh! ( whispering ) Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry.
"He has a cookbook and all the fame.
You and this judge share the same name.
" "Quick with a plan, go search for a tool to make pasta by hand.
" By hand! "The best hunter for miles, your family will cheer you.
Your apron is next to the meat of a deer.
" Oh, found it! Oh, here are the pasta machines.
Yeah! Oh, my God! This is insane.
- Oh, yes! - I found mine! - Found it.
- Found mine.
- Oh, here.
- Oh, I found it! - I found my apron! - Under the table.
Yes! Evie: I can't believe that I have a MasterChef Junior apron with my name on it.
Is this really real? Che: I've wanted to get a MasterChef Junior apron with my name on it forever.
It's such a great and wonderful item to have, and I can't believe that I've gotten this far.
Those kids will have those aprons and memories forever.
Now, speaking of memories, trust me, I remember some food I used to love back in the '70s, and it was jiggly.
Come on, look at that.
I dare you.
Now we know food can be funny sometimes, and keeping your sense of humor in the kitchen is a must.
What's orange and black? A panda covered in sweet and sour sauce.
- No, your pan in front of you burning.
- Oh, God.
Sometimes the best ingredient in this kitchen is laughter.
Open your mouth.
There, you got a tooth missing.
Someone put a ( laughing ) - Do you have siblings? - My stuffed animals and my imaginary friends.
I had an imaginary girlfriend at your age.
I wasn't allowed to date until I was 16.
- Really? - Yes.
So you have to wait eight years.
My dad always says the smellier the cheese, the better.
Really? Dad smells the cheese and Aarón cuts it.
Don't listen to him.
Believe me, these kids can dish it out.
Your fly is open.
Che, I did it! Hey, your shoe is untied.
What? Can you two concentrate? Do you go to the gym? Are you kidding me? Look at me.
I'm super strong.
- Mmm.
- Oh, come on! Who loves you, baby? You look kind of silly.
- Oh, come on.
- That's my look, not yours.
- Really? - Yeah.
And good old flattery never fails to put a smile on my face.
- What excites you most about food? - You.
You're so good on your videos, and I watch all of them.
Is that what you wanna be when you grow up? You wanna be like me? - Yes, Chef.
- I love that idea.
- You're urban, he's rural.
What am I? - Yeah.
- Uh, you're like - Royal.
Exactly that.
Well spotted.
Malia: He is the king of the kitchen.
Hail to Gordon.
Gordon Ramsay has fixed hundreds of restaurants and he's taught American kids how to be chefs.
So what should his next job be? President of the United States.
- Really? - You got the hair.
Whoa! Unfortunately, I was born in Scotland, so I can never be president, no matter how good my hair looks.
Now we have so much more coming up, including our three finalists, and the return of the red button.
You don't wanna miss it.
- Still to come - ( screaming ) plenty of embarrassing bloopers - ( sputtering ) - Oh, my God.
Gordon's always like this.
the kids give their best impressions of us Chicken.
Bok bok.
Who wants an order of chicken wings? - Bam bam bam - Eww! plus, we revisit some of the messiest moments since season one.
And I get sweet revenge You recognize that, right? - one last time.
- ( kids screaming ) ( music playing ) Man.
Welcome back.
Ever wondered how I got this tough? I was using all this '70s equipment as a kid.
Trust me, this is hard work, but it's nothing compared to what these young talented home cooks went through right here in the MasterChef kitchen.
You'll all be working with fresh, alive, and kicking lobsters.
Gordon: This season, the challenges were tougher - than ever before.
- Eww! All right, so this duck just really run your knife and look for that little joint, and then you just pull back.
Ben: Aarón is making duck look so easy.
Oh, my gosh.
- He's just amazing! - ( whistles ) Gordon: Chicken feet, pig snout, intestines.
Put your hands up if you like offal.
Gross.
We're tasking you with killing it, cooking it, and extracting all that beautiful lobster meat all by yourselves.
We're just kids.
You'll be replicating a big favorite at my three Michelin star restaurant.
My signature pan-seared scallops.
Both: Wow! Use the knife against the shell and open.
Gently pop that out.
Aaron: Oh, my God.
I'm only ten years old.
I've never even eaten a three Michelin star dish.
I mean, I go to taco trucks back in Georgia.
- Shuck, shuck, shuck.
- ( groans ) The pressure could not be any more intense tonight.
- Oh, come on.
- Ooh! - Aaron, is it alive? - Yeah.
Eww.
This is nasty.
This a challenge that we save for the adults.
Aarón: There's so much technicality that needs to be executed perfectly.
It's no fun and games now.
Gordon: This is a challenge of nerve.
Don't be scared! Gordon: A challenge of determination.
This challenge is not just hard.
It's hard! Gordon: But despite their setbacks Oh, God! What did I just hit? - Oops.
- What happened? I burned myself.
- Oh, gosh.
- Oh, dear.
they rose to new heights.
There you go.
You're on the way back.
- It's all good.
- There we go.
- I wanna eat that.
Whoo! - Exciting! There is some serious culinary genius happening in the kitchen tonight.
- What are they doing to us? - Aarón: Everyone, let's go.
Ooh, that looks gorgeous.
Chefs: Five, four, three - Where's my - two, one.
- That's it.
- And stop.
- Hands in the air.
Well done.
- Hands in the air.
Aarón: Good job! Back when I was a kid, this is the kind of tableware that we had in our house.
Come on, look at these ghastly plates.
Seriously, they are so ugly.
Now, speaking of homes, let's see what our young home cooks are like in theirs.
Check this out.
Welcome to my bedroom.
Super fun to relax in.
Our 24 young home chefs applied to be on the show from all across the country.
Ta-da! These are my shoe game/sneakers.
You think it's a globe.
It's a cookie jar.
I'm all about that craft, create, and construct.
Most importantly This is where all the magic happens.
This is where the magic happens.
Where all the magic happens.
they all shared a passion for cooking.
Here's my favorite knife I like to use to chop my different things.
This is my favorite cookbook, by the master herself, Julia Child.
These are some experiment recipes that I wrote down.
I love to experiment.
We're marinating a yummy skirt steak for tonight's dinner, and it's gonna be so good.
I've been cooking since I was four years old, and I might be small, but I'm an amazing chef.
Their culinary skill and dedication Flambé! quickly set them apart from the rest.
I have a very sophisticated, refined palate, and I pack a lot of punch.
And their signature dishes were second to none.
My famous southern fried chicken and coleslaw.
This is my Irish potato soup.
Lobster with a saffron beurre blanc, which is a favorite of mine.
But what makes these young home chefs special are their own unique personalities.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah, go ahead, everybody I Irish dance everywhere I go, whether I'm cooking, whether I'm in a skirt This is my wall of hearts that my parents made for me.
This is when we won the league championship.
These are my paintings.
I like blue.
A karaoke machine where me and my friends like to do karaoke.
When you open it all my jewelry! And I have a lot.
My pearls.
As you can see, I have a lot of these.
See you in the kitchen, home cooks.
See ya later, alligator.
Come on, seriously, take a look at this.
This is some classic party food from the 1970s.
This monstrosity is a liver sausage pineapple, a vegetable mold salad, or moldy salad, and a classic British favorite, cheese pineapple hedgehog.
Honestly, come on.
This looks disgusting.
What were people thinking back then? Nobody would ever be able to become MasterChef based on these dishes.
But for those who do dream of winning big, trust me, they had some very exciting plans with all that money.
To think about $100,000, my mind is just going ( imitates explosion ) I'd probably get another kitten.
I am a crazy cat lady.
I would buy a puppy and name it Jacques or François.
My sister and I are still debating that.
I want my own pet lion because it shows people not to mess with me.
I might buy myself a unicorn.
I'd put a pond in my backyard and fill it with frogs and fish and all types of wildlife.
A marshmallow tub where you could go into it and also eat it.
I wanna get a hoverboard and slime.
I have to share a bathroom with my sister, and I'm gonna give myself a new bathroom with the money, and on my door I'm gonna put a fingerprint lock so that way nobody can get into my room.
I'm living life now.
No more sisters.
Still to come, the finalists stop by How are you all feeling about the finale? I can't wait.
It's gonna be so much fun.
I just wanna, like, do my best.
I'm just hoping that I don't drop anything.
and I have a messy treat in store for them.
The secret behind any tiramisu is the most amazing ( buzzer ) ( kids screaming ) Hello, everyone, and good-bye to that ghastly 1970s kitchen.
I would not miss that hideous decor.
Trust me, that orange gave me a big headache.
Now, can you believe it? This time next week, we will find out our "MasterChef Junior" season seven winner.
Trust me, you do not want to miss that.
But across this season, these talented young home cooks were at the top of their game, and they got there by listening to a few very simple rules.
Don't make cracks! It's getting cracky! - Here are the basic tips for culinary success.
- Where's the flour? - Malia, that is good.
- They smell delicious.
- I love the idea.
Good luck.
- Thank you.
Seasoning and flavors can make or break a dish.
I am doing a turkey slider - Wow.
Really? - with grilled pineapple.
Where did you see that before? - Nowhere, I just thought of - Stop there.
That's why.
'Cause we don't do it.
Wow.
Did not see this one coming.
So, I'm not using those.
Let's talk about this quesadilla.
There's a big hole.
I can almost see you through this.
Oh, gosh.
Less is never more when it comes to key ingredients.
All I'm getting is flour tortilla and chicken.
( sighs ) Nice, Jaala! Oh, God.
Evie: Tal just ran out of frosting.
Presentation is everything.
- What is Tal doing? - Tal: Oh, my gosh.
It is just not staying on.
Whoa! Tal's thing is a mess.
Brielle: Oh, this is really bad.
Che: How did he make this? What is this? This is insane.
I mean, what is that? Gordon: And remember, a dish only tastes as good as it looks.
- You have cell phones.
Do you text? - Mm-hmm.
- Do you use emojis? - Mm-hmm.
What does the top of this look like to you? Looks a little bit like the poop emoji.
- No.
- Aaron: We showed the other competitors what it's like to take a poop with some banana and coffee.
Look at this beautiful herb garden.
Come on, absolutely stunning.
Now, a touch of the outside here in the MasterChef kitchen.
But when the kids head out into the real world, honestly, it's not always a garden party.
- Are both teams ready? - All: Yes, Chef! Gordon: MasterChef Junior is tough.
Ow.
Oh, that's hot.
But nothing is harder than the field challenges.
- ( horn honking ) - Camp, camp, camp, camp! When stepping out from the heat of the kitchen, always expect the unexpected.
Oh, wow.
Seriously? Seriously? Welcome to the amazing MasterChef kids camp.
You will be in charge of running a Michelin star restaurant.
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, my gosh.
Be ready to feed your guests.
There are 51 hungry circus performers.
You will be cooking for all of the campers here today.
That's a lot of people.
Guys, this dining room is fully booked, and they have no idea how old the chefs are preparing this dinner this evening.
Whoa.
Age can no longer be an excuse.
- Oh, my gosh.
- ( blows whistle ) Aaron: The stakes are bigger than ever before.
Don't be scared.
What are you doing? Go get me a bottle of water.
I'm about to faint.
Gordon: Things will get intense.
We need chicken now! Everybody stop what you're doing and come here please.
- I'm doing steaks right now.
- So, communication Are you listening, young lady? - is key.
- Ivy: What? Are you kidding me right now? It's too much, Gordon! - Blue team! Guys.
- A couple more minutes.
- Who's cooking the lamb? So why is it not in? - Me, Chef.
I was trying to get as many on the pan as possible.
- No.
- I'm part of this.
I know what I'm doing right here, okay? I say if it needs more.
I need another rising rack right now.
I find it a little ironic nobody is listening to me about coming to a meeting that's about not listening to me.
Oh, dear, oh, dear.
Gordon: The food must be cooked Touch that.
It's not gonna hurt.
It's cold.
to perfection.
Just stop.
It looks like someone's been shot on your plate.
You know that's not okay.
It's raw.
You'll send those children to a hospital in seconds.
For the bear.
I am taking a deep breath.
Let's go, guys.
That's terrible.
No matter how tough things get I shouldn't have done that, Chef.
never give up.
Come on, man.
Can you wake up and just show me that you've got a little bit of oomph in you, yes? - Yes, Chef.
Yes, Chef.
- Let's go! And the hardest parts of life are where you grow the most.
Come on, guys, we got this.
- You can do this, Reid.
- Okay, let's go.
And most importantly The guests are arriving? What? always finish strong.
Yes, yes, yes! Beef is really a fantastic meal.
We've enjoyed this a lot.
I really wanted more.
I loved it so much.
Please, welcome the red team and the blue team, ladies and gentlemen.
That's the first time in history we've never ever seen a dish return to the kitchen.
Can you describe in one word what it's like cooking for Gordon Ramsay in a real kitchen? Terrifying.
Man! Now, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
I say who do these kids think they are? Gordon is always like this.
I really like Gordon's accent.
Can you speak properly, please? - "Bazel.
" - "Bazel.
" - "Tomah-toes.
" Perfect.
- "Tomah-toes.
" ( high-pitched ) One lamb, two fillet.
One lamb, three fillet.
Followed by one halibut, three prawn.
- Followed by two prawn, two halibut, yes? - Yes, Chef.
( English accent ) Also, I have six Ferraris! What would you do with $100,000? Buy a new wheel for my Ferrari.
This is my Aarón Sánchez impression.
( trilling ) Aarón! ( trilling ) Aarón! You say "mascarpone.
" Mascarpone! Eso! Like they used in Italy.
- Mmm! - Mmm-mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm! Chicken.
Bok bok.
Who wants an order of chicken wings? Bam bam bam, bam bam bam Who wants a double order? When Christina looks at your food, she's like Mm.
Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
Hey, mamacita.
There you go, mama.
What's up, mama? Nice rice, mama.
Oh! You okay, mama? - I'm good.
- Jaala: Christina Tosi, she's like the queen of baking.
She's the fairy of cupcakes! Wow! What do you think of my new dress? Amazing! And spin, and spin, and spin! - That was brilliant.
- And scene.
- Whoo! - ( cheering ) Gordon: Still to come, Che, Ivy, and Malia join me in the kitchen.
Oh, man.
Good to see you, bud.
Oh, man.
Plus, some of this season's best bloopers.
- ( sputtering ) - Oh, my God.
And we revisit some of the messiest moments from the past seven years.
( kids shouting ) Welcome back to "MasterChef Junior: Road To The Finale.
" We're just one week away from naming our season seven winner.
Now in just a few moments, we'll be talking to our three amazing finalists.
Right now we're inside the incredible MasterChef pantry, where our young home cooks had access to the best ingredients in the world.
Trust me, they used them to make some of the most incredible dishes we've ever seen.
Let's take a look.
I do cook classic French cuisine.
So I am making a duck ÃÂ l'orange with parsnip puree and caramelized endives.
That's something that belongs on a menu! Gordon: This year, the junior home cooks impressed us with their sophisticated flavors Today I've made you a pan-seared branzino with an orange-scented rainbow chard and a warm tomato salsa.
It's refined beyond belief.
Malia: A lobster taco with some sweet potato wedges and a slaw with an avocado crema.
The fact that you chose to use the lobster shell as vessel to keep all that beautiful goodness of the lobster kind of enclosed is unreal.
Is it okay if I steal that idea? If you want.
and transformed difficult ingredients into something greater.
I'm doing an Ethiopian style dish.
- Wow.
- This is "MasterChef," and you just have to put yourself on a plate, and that's what got me to where I am today.
Ethiopian lamb loin with some sautéed spinach and a yogurt sauce with cucumbers.
- Gordon: The dishes - Aarón: All executed with perfection.
- Gordon: Yeah.
- So bold, so thoughtful, and so different.
With every challenge, they sharpened their skills.
Aarón: I'm really impressed.
That is dynamite.
Exceptional.
- It's an incredibly refined dish.
- Thank you.
Tonight, we saw some amazing dishes that delivered beyond MasterChef Junior standards.
And in the end Ivy: Blue cheese crusted pork chop with sautéed cabbage.
Gordon: It's a smart dish that's been conceptualized beautifully.
You have a chef's mind.
their level of talent and skill exceeded our expectations.
Che: Shrimp marinated with lime juice and cumin and cilantro on a corn sope.
Aarón: There's a lot going on here that's compelling.
That right there is spot-on.
Ben: Citrus napoleon with a blueberry jam.
The pastry cream has orange and lime zest.
This is a master class in a gorgeous citrus dessert.
So impressive.
Here on "MasterChef Junior" we take things very, very seriously.
Most of the time.
Check this out.
- I'm on fire, Chef.
- Let go of that.
Let go of that.
- Oh, God.
Fire.
- I've got that.
Don't you worry.
Working in a professional kitchen is tough enough.
But throwing 24 kids into the mix - I'm okay.
- can make it chaotic.
- ( screaming ) - Trust me, a lot can go wrong.
Oopsie daisy.
Oh, no! No! To ensure that everything runs smoothly - Whoa.
- you must behave like a true professional.
- ( sputtering ) - Oh, my God.
- Yeah! - ( screaming ) You guys got it? Even when you think no one's watching.
- Woman: Beautiful.
- Whoa.
I got made it.
( blows raspberries ) ( duck calling ) The most funnest, funnest Funnest? Is that a word? - ( crew chatter ) - ( laughs ) - ( farting ) - Oops.
- ( farting ) - Man: All right, buddy.
- ( indistinct chatter ) - ( laughing ) And remember, when the pressure is on in the kitchen, clear communication is key.
I'm making a cookies and cream "pan colada.
" - A piña colada? - "Pan colada.
" Cookies and cream "pan colada.
" Panna cotta.
Piña colada.
Panna cotta.
- Rhashad: Jaala, what are you making? - A galaxy cake.
Gal I'm studying a science bachelors degree.
Oh, really? - Guess what in? - What? - B.
S.
- What's that? What's that? You don't know what B.
S.
is? No, I do not know.
Bachelor of shellfish.
Oh! Oh, my gosh.
Good job.
I'll be graduating my degree in B.
S.
very soon.
Coming up, I'll be joined by our three amazing finalists, Che, Ivy, and Malia.
Plus, the red button is back, and somebody will be getting very, very messy.
You do not want to miss that.
This time next week, one of our three finalists will be winning this incredible trophy.
Will it be Che, Ivy, or Malia? Shortly, all three will be joining me right here for a chat in this amazing kitchen.
Only one of them will take home the big prize.
But all of our home cooks have already won something that money can never buy.
Cupcakes! ( cheering ) - Yeah.
- Right.
We look after each other.
More importantly, we respect everything we do together.
All: Yes, Chef! ( panting ) - Here, Matthew, let me help.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Rhashad.
- You're welcome.
Gordon: Although this is a competition Thank you.
the kids are always willing to support one another.
Can somebody who's tall help me? I'm not, but I'll try.
I feel like meeting all these wonderful people, I've made lifelong friends that I'm never gonna forget.
- Yes! - Yay! - Teamwork makes the dream work.
- Perfect.
- Oh, my God, yours is so pretty.
- Thank you.
Sophie: We've all gotten so close to each other.
We're like family.
- Can I help with that? - Yeah.
Malia is like peanut butter to my jelly.
Ivy is very, very strong.
She is, like, my best friend! I am very happy.
Even though we're the smallest ones here, we are the toughest.
Not these.
These.
Gordon: When things got intense in the kitchen, they all pulled together.
You get to save one more person tonight.
This person is really a nice kid, and he's one of the best in this kitchen.
- Aaron.
- Yes! Aaron, he's my best friend.
- Let's go.
- Thank you so much.
He has been by my side this whole competition.
- How are you doing? Whoa, that looks really great.
- It's doing good.
- Che, you're doing amazing.
- Great, so are you.
Che: We're all definitely here to win, but we're all just such great friends.
Let's all give Aaron a group hug.
Having really good friends, that's what gets you places in life, and that's what impacted me so much on this journey.
( whispering ) No matter what happens we all did an amazing job.
What incredible kids.
Truly inspiring.
But only one can be crowned champion next week, and our three finalists are here tonight.
Please, welcome back Ivy.
Welcome back Che.
And welcome back Malia.
- Hi.
- Oh, man, good to see you.
- Good to see you, too.
- Good to see you, bud.
- You good? - You, too.
Yeah.
Hello! Oh, man.
- Good to see you, baby.
- Good to see you, too.
You three, congratulations on making it to the finale.
Are you excited? - Yes! - Very much so.
Now, you are officially the top three most talented young cooks in all of America.
Now, Ivy, how would you describe the whole MasterChef Junior experience? It's been so exciting, and just fun, and just, I mean, crazy.
MasterChef Junior wasn't what you expected? No, not at all.
When I first came in here, I was like, I'm gonna be focused, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do that.
But over the course, I've been like, okay, well, now I've created so many friendships.
It's been so fun, and I can't believe I was just so focused - in the beginning.
- Yeah.
Gotcha.
Now, Che, the experience has been incredible, but what's the one big lesson you've learned across this whole season? I'd say it's probably just to believe in yourself, and just truly be yourself, and have as much fun as you can.
Yeah.
Malia, you've been incredible.
You sort of seem completely unfazed.
But if there's one piece of advice you'd like to give next year's "MasterChef Junior" contestants, - what would it be? - I would say just put yourself on the plate, because, like, when I cook my best, I cook with my culture.
Be yourself and go for it.
Apply and try.
Now, how are you all feeling about the finale? I can't wait.
It's gonna be so much fun just to be cooking with you guys.
It's gonna be awesome.
I'm super excited and nervous at the same time.
Just a bunch of emotions, and I just wanna do my best.
I'm so excited, I'm so happy, and I'm a little nervous.
I'm just hoping that I don't drop anything.
Now, the night before the big cook-off next week, you've got to get to bed early.
- I know! - You've got to get to sleep, okay? - Promise me.
- All: Promise.
Great.
Now, when we come back, some of the messiest moments from the past seven seasons.
And I have one last surprise for these three talented individuals.
Trust me, you do not want to miss this.
Welcome back! I'm Ivy.
- I'm Che.
- And I'm Malia.
And I'm Gordon.
Guys, you're stealing my lines.
Really? This is my kitchen.
All jokes aside, you three have had an incredible journey to the finale, and I couldn't be prouder, honestly.
Let's take a much closer look how they got there.
Gordon: This is it.
Three home cooks remain, but only one will be victorious.
Malia: This is a dream come true in a lifetime! Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Gordon: They each battled their way to the top - Is it gonna be flavorful, Ivy? - Of course.
- I taste my food and I know taste.
- I love it.
proving themselves as worthy finalists.
The young home cook headed into the finale is Che, Malia Ivy.
From the beginning, Ivy impressed us with her giant skills.
You showed great finesse, great flair.
You've come out the gates strong.
And the intense heat in the kitchen - Two prawns, two halibut? - Are you listening, young lady? - Yes, Chef.
- Or do you wanna go out and serve some plates? Yes, Chef.
Come on! Make it perfect.
- did not stop her.
- You guys got this! You're cooking with no fear.
Every time you turn that stove on, you're getting more and more confidence.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Well done.
Ooh, these are nice and crispy.
Malia's impeccable Asian flavors blew us away.
That looks incredible.
It's like it's just come out of a Japanese restaurant.
Thank you.
And despite hitting roadblocks along the way - What's wrong with that? - It's raw.
I know you can do better than this.
I really have to step it up and just get it together.
Quick, quick! Come on, guys, we got this! her positive attitude and signature bandana - That's good.
- helped her overcome every obstacle.
It's a smart dish that's been conceptualized beautifully.
Young lady, you've raised the bar.
Oh, my gosh.
Although Che struggled to shine at the start The star of your dish needed a lot of help.
- It's dry.
- Che: I need to cook my best.
I need to show the judges my all.
I wanna prove that I'm a great chef and I can cook anything they throw at me.
Perfect! Gordon: his talent and drive pushed him all the way to the top.
It's time to take off, and you're no longer part of the pack.
You're in a league of your own.
- Thank you.
- Good job, bud.
From 24 young chefs to our final three This is something that you would have at some of the finest restaurants in this country.
This is the most elegant dish I have ever seen.
- Thank you, Chef.
- You're tiny, you're powerful, and you're very talented.
only one will be the winner.
Che: All of this work has come up to this moment.
I want to win this for my family.
I want to do it for everyone that's helped me along the way getting through this journey.
Ivy: I want to win this so bad because this is my chance to prove that I can do anything that I put my mind to.
Malia: If I set a goal for myself, I will achieve it.
So, I really want to win to prove to me that I am a winner.
Honestly, all three of you are such deserving finalists.
Well done.
I'm so proud, honestly.
- Thank you.
- Now, I can't wait to see who's gonna be crowned champion next week.
Now, come on, you know I love doing this show, but there are some parts that are a total mess.
- Are you ready? - Oh, this is scary.
- Gordon: Every season - ( kids screaming, laughing ) - Yeah! - the team challenges get bigger and messier.
( Christina laughing ) And this season was no exception.
( kids laughing, shouting ) I think I just swallowed some garlic.
- What? - ( kids screaming, laughing ) It's freezing.
- I can't see.
- Perfect.
No banana split is complete without cherry on top! But as always, we couldn't be happier to return the favor.
( screaming ) What the heck is this? - All: Corn! - It's wet! It's in my shoes! - ( screaming ) - Oh, my gosh.
It's raining coconut in the MasterChef kitchen.
I just got my hair done! - Guys.
- Pull the rope down.
- Boo-yeah! - Christina: Yellow team.
Gordon: Red team.
Gordon: What a mess! How many times have I told you to work nice and tidy? ( screaming ) Right, no more messing this hair up for another season.
Thank goodness for that.
Guys, honestly, you've all worked so hard to get to the finale.
I'd like to give you a little treat.
- In fact - Yes! I'd like you to have a dessert right now.
- Oh, yes.
- Yes! A stunning dessert from the '70s.
I'd like to make for all of you, a delicious tiramisu.
- Excited? - Yes! - You recognize that, right? - ( all shouting ) - No, no, no, no, no! - Don't! Don't! The secret behind any tiramisu is the most amazing cream! ( buzzer ) Oh, my gosh.
Oh, so cold! - I'm freezing! - I'm sor ( laughs ) - Oh, my Lord.
- Why? - What else makes a great tiramisu? - Oh, no, no! Not any more! Not any more! Espresso! No! Oh, God! - ( screaming ) - No! Two sugars in mine, please.
Che: So gross! - Right, join us next week - Che: Oh, no! when we crown our amazing MasterChef Junior champion.
- Will it be Ivy? - ( screams ) - Will it be Che? - Oh, my God.
Or will it be Malia? Somebody is gonna get a sweet victory.
And we can't forget the most amazing chocolate powder.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no! Wait! Why - And let's not forget - No! - our ladyfingers.
- Gordon, no! Our ladyfingers, come on.
Look at that tiramisu! Oh, my Lord.
Oh, my goodness me.
Right, guys, not the hair.
Next week, find out who will be crowned MasterChef Junior champion.
Trust me, you do not want to miss it.
Guys, seriously? My jeans! They're expensive, seriously.
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.