MasterChef Junior Recap: Breakfast of Champions

Karintha Styles
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV

In the MasterChef Junior episode entitled “Room Service/Junior Edition” the chefs take over the kitchen in a high-end, hotel for breakfast service. After the team challenge, the chefs return to the MasterChef kitchen. The packed two-hour episode included a pressure test, along with a mystery box and an elimination challenge.

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Sunnyside Up

The judges split the junior chefs into teams of six for a breakfast team challenge at the Los Angeles Hilton Hotel. Evan is the captain of the Blue Team and picks Avery, Ariana, Henry, Olivia, and Remy to work within the challenge. Mikey in turn oversees the Red Team which includes Pierce, Cade, Beni, Emily, Anthony, and Quani. As Gordon expedites for the Blue Team and Christina expedites orders coming out of the kitchen for the Red Team, Joe delivers the room service orders and explains the challenge and grading criteria to the guests. The winners of the challenge gain safety and avoid the pressure test challenge and elimination.

The Blue Team’s execution of breakfast is almost flawless. Guests rave about the fluffiness of their pancakes and their breakfast sandwiches. When a sticky waffle threatens to cost the Blue Team their perfect service, Christina and Evan reel the team in long enough to complete the order and finish their orders. After service ends, Evan says he’s sure they’ve won because they got out every plate, unlike the other team. And he’s right.

Not the Red Plate Special

After losing the competition, Mikey and the Red Team return to the kitchen to face a pressure test and elimination. Joe gives the young home chefs a class on making the perfect risotto. After the demonstration Gordan, Christina and Joe discuss whether Mikey and Anthony’s Italian heritage gives them an advantage.

From the balcony, Olivia offers her two cents to the other contestants as if she’s already a Michelin star chef. She decides that Emily is frazzled and that her and Anthony’s dishes were the worst two risottos of the night. She’s not far off. Here are what the judges thought of the dishes:

• • Mikey: Had trouble grating his cheese. He’s not happy with his plate when he takes it to the judges. Walking up to the judges he wonders if this might be his last time cooking in the MasterChef kitchen. The taste test proved Mikey had nothing to worry about.
  • Pierce: His risotto was slightly undercooked and under seasoned.
  • Cade: Joe tells Cade his Risotto was close but wasn’t perfect.
  • Beni: He’s safe for the week.
  • Emily: Joe continues to talk to Emily about random things like bike riding and ice skating even though she tells him she gets distracted easily. Her finished product missed the mark. Her rice was still crunchy and she didn’t have enough butter or wine.
  • Anthony: Joe tells Anthony his risotto is undercooked. Though Anthony’s risotto fell a lot shorter than Pierce’s based on the judge’s comments, the judge’s awarded Anthony safety.
  • Quani did the best job of replicating Joe’s dish. The judges’ least favorite rice dishes belonged to Emily, Anthony, and Pierce. Emily and Pierce were eliminated.

Mystery Boxes

In the second hour of the two-part episode, the home chefs receive a Mystery Box. They are tasked with creating a Blue Apron Signature box.

Gordon jumps into the fray and decides he can make a Blue Apron box in less than 20 minutes. Olivia doubts anyone, even Gordan, can create a decent meal in less than 20 minutes. He nails it without breaking a sweat. Olivia remains shocked and impressed. Ariana, Beni, and Sammy’s dishes were also impressive:

• • Ariana: Pan-seared salmon with lemon herb quinoa and Brussels sprouts. One of the top three dishes of the night.
  • Beni: Pan-seared pork chop with lemon polenta and Brussels sprouts
  • Sammy – Pan-seared steak with polenta and Brussels sprouts.
• Sammy wins the mystery box challenge which comes with several perks. Blue Apron will feature Sammy’s box in their menu for home chefs across the country to cook at home. He also picked the teams for the elimination challenge.

Tag, You’re It Masterchef kids 

The contestants are paired up in teams of two for a tag team challenge. Each team must recreate an Asian inspired appetizer dish for the judges. One chef works on the dish while the other stands on the sideline giving them instructions. The judges signal the junior chefs to switch places every few minutes. Sammy’s win in the Mystery Box challenge earns him a double advantage in the tag team challenge. His first advantage is deciding who will be paired together for the event. The second perk to Sammy’s win is safety for himself and his partner.

Sammy picks Henry as his partner in the tag team challenge. With their places secured in the top twelve, they watch from the balcony while the rest of the chefs compete.

The young chef impresses the judges with the logic he used to pair the rest of the contestants up. He pairs Beni and Avery together because he feels their age and inexperience will be a weakness. Sammy believes Remy and Anthony’s personalities will clash and cause them to falter in the competition. He pairs Olivia and Quani together for the same reason. Ariana and Evan are the oldest chefs in the competition, so he pairs them together. Mike and Cade make up the final pair.

MasterChef tag team challenge heartbreaks

Remy and Anthony

The duo starts off rockier than a bowl of rocky road ice cream. Remy yells at Anthony while he cooks but refuses to listen to him when it’s his turn to give direction. After a rough start, Remy and Anthony pull it together and land spots in the top 12.

Ariana and Evan

When Joe asks them who should take the hit for their mistakes Evan tells Joe he’ll take responsibility, Ariana remains silent. Some of the problems Evan took the blame for were Ariana’s fault. The dish falls short landing them in the bottom two.

MasterChef tag team challenge top duos

Beni and Avery

Much to everyone’s surprise, the youngest chefs manage to produce the best dish of the night. They communicate well, and the effort paid off. Beni and Avery won the challenge and a spot in the top 12.

Mikey and Cade

Mikey and Cade follow Beni and Avery to the balcony after securing spots in the top 12.

Olivia and Quani, aka Clash of the Titans

Like her sister, Olivia tries to overpower Quani during the challenge. He continues to work quietly and methodically. After Christina tells Quani he needs to be more assertive, he tells Olivia her dumplings are incorrect. She disagrees and continues to do what she wants. Later when the judges critique the dish, the dumplings and spring rolls sink their dish. Ironically, the flaws in the dish were the same flaws Quani tried to get Olivia to fix. Her refusal to listen to her partner and correct the flaws in her technique cause them to land in the bottom two.

After sending three of the five teams to safety the judges have a hard time deciding between the bottom two teams.

Olivia and Quani along with Ariana and Evan turned in the worst dishes of the night. Gordan, Christina, and Joe decided not to eliminate anyone after the tag team challenge.

Do you think the judges made the right decision by sending Pierce home instead of Anthony? Who would you put in your top 10? Let us know in the comments. Want more news?

(Image courtesy of FOX)

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